Ace Savvy and the Full House Gang: Checkmate
by Alexpv22
Summary: (Inspired by Lincoln Loud's favorite hero, Ace Savvy) Join Ace, One Eyed Jack and the Full House Gang as they face a new band of enemies. When a group of medieval-like warriors suddenly invade Royal Woods. It's up to Ace and Co. to deal out some justice. At the same time, Night Club meets a new girl and things start to become rather complicated. Both for her team and for herself
1. Prologue: Dealing Out Some Justice

Dealing out Some Justice

(AN: I do not own any of the characters from The Loud House. They are under the ownership of Chris Savino, the Loud House production team and Nickelodeon Studios.

So…please, don't sue me.)

Nighttime in Great Lakes City; a time of work for some, revelry for most and for others…criminal activity. In a particular part of town, there stood the Ace in the Hole Casino and Dance Club; Great Lake City's most popular hangout. A place where couples could have a night of passion and singles could have a night of chance.

As the midnight hour slowly approached, the time came for the workers to clock out and head home. "See ya tomorrow, Herbie" said one of the bouncers, "you too, Rocco; give the missus my regards" said another. The two men collected their things and bad their employer, Miss DiMartino, good evening.

"Have a good night, boys" she said with a smile, "I will see you in the morning." But just as Herbie reached for the door; they suddenly swung open, knocking him onto the floor. Everyone gasped, upon seeing their colleague fall but none of them spoke harshly to the assailant.

All staff members trembled fearfully as Don Anthony Soriano, known by many as The Loan Shark, waltzed into the room; like the cock of the walk. Several waitresses winced slightly, as the light gleamed off of his rings and fang-like grin. But not one person dared to speak, as he took a seat at the bar.

"Barkeep…a round of scotches on the rocks for me and my associates, please" he requested with a snap of his fingers. As Loan Shark's entourage of bodyguards approached, the barkeep quickly began his work on making the drinks. While they were being prepared, Miss DiMartino nervously approached Don Soriano.

"Uh…Good e..e..evening, Sir" she murmured, "what can I get you…" Don Soriano held up his hand, silencing her; as his drink was, at last being handed to him. After taking a sip, he smacked his lips with satisfaction and gazed at .

"Had a good night's work, I trust" he asked calmly, to which all gathered 'round him simply gave a silent nod in response. "Good, that's good…then, I guess you have enough to pay off this month's rent?" he inquired suddenly. The entire casino echoed with sounds of alarmed gasps.

"But…I thought we still had another week to pay you" exclaimed Miss DiMartino, both shocked and bothered. After sampling another drink, the Loan Shark turned on his stool and faced her with a grin. "I'm afraid that, due to helping repair those…unforeseen damages to your slot machines, last week; we had to push up the due date a little" he chuckled.

His flunkies joined in on the laughter, which only seemed to further offend the casino staff. "HEY! The only reason there _were_ any damages is because your pal over there got drunk and had a hissy fit after losing a game" shouted a young cocktail waitress. The leader of Soriano's bodyguards growled at the woman.

"Hey, ya dumb broad" he roared with outrage, "how do I know you and your hussy of a boss didn't try to cheat me, just for giggles?!" To say that Miss DiMartino was offended by such an accusation would be a gross understatement. But before she could speak up; more of her employees began calling out the don.

"This isn't the first time you called for rent too early either, ya fat pig" shouted the cigar vendor. "You did this last month and the month before!" Several more employees called out in outrage.

"You're just a bottom feeder, leeching off of decent, hardworking people; like you did to everyone else in this town" shouted a dancing girl. Enraged, Soriano's team of bodyguards prepared to rush forward and lay waste to the whole room. But both and Don Soriano held up their hands and both sides swiftly fell silent.

After taking a moment to collect herself; Miss DiMartino approached the don, took a knee and kissed his hand respectfully. "With all due respect, Don Soriano" she breathed out calmly, "I may need more time and more cooperation from your…associates, if I'm expected to pay our rent on time." Her group whispered silently, proclaiming that her wishes seemed rather fair and that the Loan Shark wouldn't dare deny her a favor.

After sampling one final drink, Don Soriano took her hands in his…and gripped them tightly. "I'm afraid I must refuse" he stated, "I already gave you one favor by helpin' you make this business of yours possible, three years ago…have you forgotten that?" Miss DiMartino winced softly, as the mobster's grip intensified ever so slightly.

The guards all chuckled maliciously, all knowing what was about to happen next. "After I helped you, I asked only one thing in return…to pay me on time" Soriano growled, baring his teeth. "Please, I…I _will_ keep that promise" pleaded, "just give me a little more time!"

The Loan Shark shook his head and pulled out her arm slightly. Then, he proceeded to slowly draw back her sleeve with a malicious grin. "I'm sorry, dear" he chuckled, "but everyone needs to be disciplined from time to time."

Licking his lips, Don Soriano eased his teeth forward to the woman's arm. Enraged by such a disrespectful display, the staff attempted to aide her. Sadly, they were quickly outmatched by the mob boss' team of bodyguards.

The wait staff struggled and strained beneath the men holding them down. But try as they might, they couldn't free themselves from their captors. All they could do was lie there and watch, as their beloved employer was about become chum.

Suddenly, there came a whooshing sound and something shattered through one of the high windows. This unforeseen object struck Soriano in the eye, causing him to unhand and stumble in pain. After regaining his footing, seconds later; he angrily swiped his arm over his face.

This caused the object to clatter onto the floor at his feet. With his right eye blazing red with irritation, he plucked the item off the ground and examined it. "What is it, boss; a poison dart" asked one of the guards.

The rest of Soriano's men grumbled with annoyance at the idea. "Pal, you've been watchin' too many jungle explorer movies" one of them stated. All was silent, for about five seconds and then; Soriano let out a gasp of alarm.

"C'mon, you guys" he shouted, "pack up your stuff and scram before they get here!" After that, Soriano proceeded to reveal the item that struck him; a lone playing card. Normally, people wouldn't pay any attention to such a thing.

But when the bodyguards saw the black ace printed on the front, they knew they were in trouble. Just as Soriano and his men rushed through the exit, a blinding light suddenly shined on them. "AH! Dang it, what's with the light show?!" grimaced Soriano, while shielding his eyes

 _"You all looked a little lost"_ a voice chuckled, _"thought we'd do you a kindness and offer a light"_ another voice stated. Each of the bodyguards quivered slightly, knowing full well who the voices belonged to. At that moment, two figures suddenly appeared before them.

One was a young man with snow white hair, a black mask wrapped around his eyes, a red leotard with an ace symbol upon his chest, a utility belt and black boots. The fellow beside him was a young African-American bearing an eye patch over his right eye. He wore a Union Jack shirt, red gloves, black shoes and bore a curly mustache on his top lip. The gang soon realized that they found themselves, face to face with Ace Savvy and One-Eyed Jack.

"Hassling people for small change again; eh, Loan Shark?" inquired Ace boldly, "we thought bottom feeders only ate the leftovers" Jack chimed in. Don Soriano growled with annoyance, he always _loathed_ being called a shark. But despite this, he did his best to keep cool.

"Ace, my friend" Soriano chuckled pleasantly, "how good to see you again, how's life been treating you?" "Don't be coy with us, Soriano" Ace retorted, "the police may buy into your charms…but not us!" Feeling impatient and wishing to hurt the duo, one of Soriano's men attempted to move forward.

But the mob boss quickly blocked his path with his cane. "You sure we can't go inside and talk this over with a drink" he offered, "no thanks, we only prefer soda pop" Ace quipped. Soriano growled bitterly at their continuing defiance.

"Well, then; I suppose there's no way to dance around this any further" he sighed. "Got that right…but if you're looking for a fight. It's only fair to tell you you're going to lose" Ace stated. These words caused the Soriano Gang to suddenly burst into a fit of laughter.

"And just what makes youse guys think you'll win" shouted a guard, "there's twenty of us here and only two of you there." It is with that statement that one of the other bodyguards asked how the two of them got there alone. With that said, the lights suddenly shut off and they could see a large van standing behind Ace and Jack.

"What makes you think we came alone?" questioned Ace, gesturing at the van. Suddenly, the doors slid/popped open and out came Ace's faithful team; The Full House Gang. "Alright, everyone" Ace called out, "ready to _deal out_ some justice?"

There came a loud and collective cheer and the Full House Gang leapt into action. Soriano growled at the group blocking their path. "Don't just stand there, you idiots; take them down" he roared, beating a few men with his cane. Two bodyguards rushed forward and confronted The High Card, who was texting idly on her communicator/phone.

"We'll give ya one chance, Missy" one of the guards stated, "surrender and we'll only rough ya up just a bit." High Card ceased typing and glared at the two goons. "Puh-lease, you think I'm scared of you two clods" she shrugged, "I live in a house with nine rowdy siblings; you're nothing, compared to that.

Offended, the two guards charged at her like a pair of bulls. But High Card did not move an inch, as if baiting them. Finally, as the two men got close enough, she reached behind her back and drew out a bolas with two large die on both ends.

With a flick of the wrist, she twirled her weapon in hand and struck both men soundly between their eyes; leaving large card symbols imprinted on their faces. Elsewhere; another, much bigger guard proceeded to grab the bar's cash register and attempted to run off with it.

But before he could reach the door, the man suddenly heard the cry of "WIPE OUT, INCOMING!" Upon turning around, the guard was soon caught in a tidal wave of sparkling water. The wave sent him flying out onto the streets, where he landed into the puddle it left behind.

As he eased his head up; he spotted The Royal Flush, one of the younger members of the Full House Gang, standing by the drink dispensers and smiling proudly. At another part of the room, the Eleven of Hearts and the Queen of Diamonds were soon surrounded by five burly guards. But despite this, both appeared rather calm.

"Five against two…I like those odds" quipped the little queen, "wait…does that mean _we've_ got the upper hand or them?" questioned the Eleven of Hearts. The little one rolled her eyes softly and gestured for her older sibling to tie her belt around her. She did as instructed, as the guards closed in around them.

Once they got close enough, Queen of Diamonds gave the signal. "How about a little twirl, Sis" she chuckled, her older sibling got the idea and began swinging her around by her belt. Upon doing so, Queen of Diamonds proceeded to throw her crown; which flew around at a rapid speed (thanks in part to the spin.)

This combo successfully knocked out all the guards and both sisters high-fived each other in victory. Down by the stage, One-Eyed Jack was locked in the middle of a fierce fistfight with two guards. While on the stage; Card Counter, the team's resident genius, was in the midst of some calculations.

"If my plan is sound…which it almost always is, this should do the trick" she murmured with a lisp. "Make haste, Night Club; set the sound system's volume control to its maximum level." Night Club gave a nod and signaled with the rocker's devil horn gesture, before heading to the system.

After following her instructions, Night Club chuckled pleasantly and plugged in her instrument. "Get ready to party your sunglasses off, meatheads" she called out loudly. Sensing what was to come, the Full House Gang quickly plugged up their ears for safety.

But the bodyguards realized too little too late what was going on. After Night Club delivered a mighty power chord, they were all sent flying into the air. When they finally landed on the buffet table, the men's ears rang louder than an air raid siren.

Sore and soiled with all manner of food stains, the men attempted to get back onto their feet. Only for them to be swiftly struck down by a small brown blur. Said blur was Strong Suit, the "muscle" of the Full House Gang.

Like a set of downed bowling pins, Soriano's men collectively fell hard onto the floor; some landing unceremoniously on the tables stationed about. "Better call the army, Soriano" exclaimed Strong Suit, "maybe they can loan you some tougher guys." The don snarled under his breath and ordered what remained of his men to draw out their weapons.

Without a second thought, each bodyguard drew out mini Tommy Guns and took aim. Sensing what was to come, Ace ordered everyone to find cover. Afterwards, the gang ordered the casino staff to do the same and they followed suit.

But just before everyone took cover, one of the guards was suddenly shot in the side. Ace quickly rushed to her side and inspected the wound. "Don't worry" she winced, "it is only a scratch, I can manage."

Not wanting to take a chance, Ace asked the Eleven of Hearts to use her belt and tie it around the wound. While this was happening, he tried his best to think of a plan of attack. "It's no good, Ace" sighed Strong Suit, "even at my best…I can't take them all on at once.

Everyone tried their hardest to think of what to do. But with slightly injured and the Soriano Gang still fresh with ammo, there were few chances to fight back. Then, Ace felt something suddenly tug at his cape.

He turned around and saw the littlest member of their team, The Deuce smiling at him. But soon after that, his nostrils met with the pungent aroma of her dirty diaper. "This is one of the worst times to get a stinky, sweetie" groaned Ace, plugging his nose.

The Deuce shook her head and pointed at her diaper; hoping he'd get the message. It took a while but at last, Ace understood what she meant. "Everyone, time to clear the room" quipped Ace, taking Deuce's diaper in hand.

As everyone took in a quick inhale of clean breath, Card Counter handed protective masks to each member of the casino staff. "Trust me, you will thank us for these" she stated, heading back into position. With that done, Ace took in a breath and threw the diaper over his shoulder.

At that moment, one of the bodyguards briefly ceased firing and spotted the projectile heading toward them. Before anyone could react, the diaper hit the floor hard and a small mushroom cloud of stank filled the room. Soriano and his men hacked and gagged violently, upon smelling the aroma.

"For Heaven's sake" cried the mob boss, "what is that family feeding that child?!" With them all temporarily incapacitated, the Full House Gang took action. Each one of them swept in and proceeded to throttle each member of Soriano's group.

In the end, they were victorious…in spite of the cloud of dirty diaper smell and the "minor" property damage around them. "Do not worry, leader" the Card Counter quickly interjected, then proceeded towards the van. Where she brought out a large vacuum-like device and rolled it to the middle of the room.

"What do you propose to do with that?" murmured a dancing girl, "just wait and see, madam" Card Counter replied. With that said, she drew out the house and pressed a series of buttons. After that, the hose began sucking in the green and brown stench cloud around them; until nothing but clean air remained.

After that, Card Counter pressed another button on her machine and a pink mist suddenly spewed out of the hose. At first, everyone feared for another stench spree. But their fears quickly faded, as the sweet scent of roses and honey filled each of their sinuses.

"It would seem that my Sour-to-Sweet Air Purifier device is a success" Card Counter said proudly. "This is all nice and everything" murmured Miss Dimartino, "but what about the damages to my establishment?" With a confident smile and a crack of her knuckles, Royal Flush took a running pose and then…she zipped all about the room.

In what seemed like a flash; she had, miraculously, cleaned and repaired all damages made to the room. The casino staff stared in shock and awe of what they had witnessed. "I…an…and you…I" stammered one of the bouncers, "how the heck did you do that?" The Royal Flush chuckled softly and blew off some steam from her monkey wrench.

"You think all _this_ is impressive, see me when I'm off duty and _then_ we'll talk" quipped Royal Flush boastfully, "I also do plumbing work." The bouncers silently looked at one another for a moment and then, they burst out laughing. "We'll have to take you up on that offer, Miss" one of them stated, "but we warn you...the bathrooms get rather messy here; especially after our patrons eat at the buffet."

While everyone reveled in the young lady's skills; Loan Shark had, after moments of unconsciousness, finally awoken and proceeded to sneak away. But as he reached the door, he was sent flying backwards by a giant banana cream pie; which was fired out of a massive Jack in the Box. The pie sent the mobster flying onto the dance floor, buried under a mound of cream and batter

Ace looked down at the defeated man and then at the box with a smile. "I was wondering when you would show up, Joker" chuckled Ace. As if on cue, the box sprang open and out came a young lady in pigtails dressed as a jester. She bounced about like a mad pogo-stick, until she stopped at the mound of pie leavings and tasted it.

"Mmm! Guess it's true what they say, nothing tastes sweeter than victory. HA-HA-HA! Get it?" she chuckled playfully. Ace and the gang sighed annoyingly at their comrade/sister's jest and proceeded to handcuff Soriano; prepping him for the police to apprehend. Afterwards, Miss DiMartino proceeded to thank Ace and Co. with tight hugs of gratitude.

"Oh! Thank you, thank you, thank you all so much" she gushed sweetly, "I speak for all of us when I say we can't repay you enough for what you've done tonight." While the casino owner continued in her onslaught of thank you's. She failed to notice the dazed and dreamy looks on Ace and Jack's faces.

With the soft murmur of "buh-buh-buh," both the young heroes then proceeded to faint with glee. gasped in alarm, fearing the boys may have been hurt. High Card simply chuckled and assured her everything was fine.

"They always get like this, when someone pretty thanks them" she giggles, picking up the young heroes. Miss DiMartino shared a chuckle of her own and called out one more thank you to the gang, as they boarded their van. "My doors are always open for you all" she assured.

"We appreciate the offer, ma'am…but some of us are too young for places like this" chimed Strong Suit. "I _am_ , however open for the buffet" Royal Flush interjected, "and I hope the dance floor will be open to the queen" Queen of Diamonds stated. giggled and assured everyone that there is something for everyone at The Ace in the Hole.

With that said, the Full House Gang (sans Ace and Jack) said their goodbyes and rode off. Unaware that someone, not far away from them, was watching them with great interest. As the shadowed figure waited for the van to disappear from sight, someone arrived behind him.

"My Lord, what do you wish of us now" murmured the second figure, "assemble the court, summon my brother" answered the supposed "leader." "Twelve days hence, we make ready to take this city and that caitiff churl, Ace Savvy shall not stand in our way."

(AN: Who are these odd figures, what plan do they have for Ace and the Full House Gang…and why do they sound like Ren Faire performers? Tune in next time for the next exciting adventure)

(Second AN: I know Lincoln's Full House Gang fights crime in an Ace Savvy version of Royal Woods. But I thought it'd be fun to add Ronnie Anne's new hometown of Great Lakes City into the story too. Lastly; as another "Easter Egg," Miss DiMartino is a character from the episode Study Muffin; for those unaware)


	2. Chapter One: An Unexpected Encounter

An Unexpected Encounter/A Full House Hand

With Loan Shark and his forces bested; Ace and his team made their journey back to their home, the Fortress of Solitaire. If one were to pass it, they would presume it was naught but a cheap tourist trap. But in reality, this seemingly useless stack of cards was actually a ruse.

As High Card halted the van before the cards, she reached below the dashboard and pressed a small button. After which, two of the giant spade cards suddenly began to open; like large gate doors. Their way clear, Vanzilla began driving inside.

The vehicle traveled down for miles upon miles until at last, it reached its final destination; a large underground complex. Here, Ace and his team of heroes conducted all crime research and kept a watchful eye over their fair city. Upon entering, the van came to a halt and all occupants left through the doors.

"UGH! All that fighting is causing me to sweat" cried Queen of Diamonds, "same here, let's all change and hit the showers" chimed in Strong Suit. Everyone nodded and murmured in agreement, then proceeded to their respective changing rooms. Making certain no prying eyes were watching, they proceeded to remove their soiled/soggy crime wear.

Upon changing, they left their rooms and headed for the bath. Unknown to the city; Ace's true identity of former detective, Spade Nifty was never shown to others. Save for those whom he trusted, like his partner and their team. Out from his own room; One-Eyed Jack, otherwise known as Jackson Keane, came stretching his limbs and yawning.

"Gotta say, that was one of our toughest battles yet" sighed Jackson, "I could've sworn I saw you slipping a bit, pal" quipped Spade. Jackson removed his patch and glared at his partner softly. "There were forty of them and only twelve of us, Ace" he exclaimed, "such a fight could tire out anyone, even you."

Spade gave a chuckle and patted his friend's shoulder, "I meant no offense, pal" he stated, "we _all_ did splendidly out there tonight." _"Yeah, especially those of us who did half the work"_ a voice called out, which suddenly caused Jackson to freeze in place. He turned around and spotted what someone approaching them.

On the field, she was known as High Card. But behind the scenes; Spade and Jackson knew her best as Lori Loud, eldest of the Loud Sisters. Spade chuckled slightly and shook Lori's hand. "You did, indeed performed wonderfully out there; all you girls did" he praised warmly.

Jackson Keane tried to say something of equal praise to the young lady. But each time he tried, his voice went faint and his head would become woozy. The final nail in the coffin came when Lori smiled at them and ruffled both crime fighters' heads affectionately.

"We only got this good because of you two, thanks a bunch" she said, while walking off to the bath. With that compliment and his hair having been touched by Lori, Jackson suddenly fainted backwards in a heap. Spade rolled his eyes with a groan, before helping his friend back up.

"Jackie, ya gotta learn to keep cool; when she's around" he stated in a firm tone, "also…you _should_ realize by now, that she's off the market and out of your league." Jackson puffed out his chest boldly and shook his head. "Love knows no boundaries; Spade, old friend" he declared; then, his expression became shifty.

"Plus, it's only a matter of time before things fall apart between Lori and…'Boo-Boo Bear'" he murmured while shuddering at the pet name. "When that time comes, Ol' Jackie boy here will be there to pick the pieces back up and fix 'em." Spade gave a giggle and patted his friend on the shoulder; murmuring "dare to dream," while they walked.

This sort of thing happened quite a lot, after he and Jackson first met the Loud Sisters.

Several Months Earlier

After their first hideout, The House of Cards, was destroyed by an arson attack orchestrated by both The Card Shark and Snake Eyes. The two heroes needed a new base of operations. Then, one day; Ace read articles about a young genius who may be able to help them.

But much to his dismay, this genius was rather reclusive; choosing only to socialize with her other siblings…if needed. But Ace was in dire need of help and so, he took a leap of faith. With One-Eyed Jack beside him, Ace traveled to the farthest part of Michigan; where the genius' lab was said to be stationed.

But when they arrived, there was no laboratory in sight; nor was there a factory, a business complex or even a suburban home. All that they found was a large collection of rocks. "Maybe the stories you've read were just that, Ace…stories" Jack stated, "no, the scientist _is_ here…I can feel it" Ace murmured, approaching the stones.

At that moment, there came a soft rumbling sound from somewhere around them. Eventually, the rumbling grew louder and Ace sensed it was coming just below his feet. Thinking quickly, he hurried behind another large stone and hid with One-Eyed Jack.

From there, they watched carefully at what was happening before them. Much to their surprise, the mound of stones began moving apart ever so slightly; revealing a small opening. From there, a large minivan suddenly sped out from below ground and down the dirt road.

"A minivan…what's a minivan doing out here in the middle of nowhere" questioned Jack. "I don't know…but I think I know where we could get some answers" Ace surmised. With lightning speed and no hesitation, the two crime fighters raced into the passageway; just before it closed up completely.

It was then that they soon found themselves within an underground tunnel. "Where do you suppose this tunnel leads" questioned Jack, as they traversed the path. "I don't know…but I'm willing to find out, if you are" Ace stated.

Both our heroes nodded in agreement and clutched each other's hands, signifying that neither of them would back down from anything. With that in mind, they continued onward down the tunnel. They walked and walked deeper below ground and the tunnel soon became darker, the farther they went.

Thinking quickly, One-Eyed Jack pressed the insignia on his belt; which then shined out a semi-bright neon glow. "Good thing I added this; after our battle with the Old Maid, last month" chimed Jack. "It was certainly quite an… _illuminating_ idea of yours, old friend" Ace chuckled.

Jack rolled his eyes slightly at the pun and proceeded ahead down the tunnel. After walking for what felt like hours, Jack suddenly crashed into something cold. Upon adjusting his buckle; the light shone on a large, three store building.

The two young heroes gawked astounded at the structure before them. "The news articles did little justice in describing this place" gasped Ace, One-Eyed Jack could only nod silently in agreement. At that moment, they heard the sudden echo of whispers from somewhere near them.

It was faint but Ace could've sworn it sounded like a fight breaking out somewhere inside. "Sounds like someone's in trouble" Ace whispered, "we have to go help them." "But how can we" questioned Jack, "the door is locked and this building's made of solid steel."

Ace took a moment to observe their surroundings; then, he found what he was looking for. Just five feet up the wall, he spied a series of windows. "If I can get up there; I can, probably open one of them and get inside" deduced Ace.

"Are you sure this is wise, my friend" questioned Jack, "even if you _could_ get in, you don't know what you'll find in there." With a squint of his eyes and a nod of his head, Ace aimed his belt and fired a grapple line from it. Once the line latched itself upon the windowsill, Ace was sent flying up into the air.

Upon reaching the spot, the line unhooked from the windowsill and retreated back into Ace's belt. With great care and sensitivity, the young hero proceeded to examine the window; in hopes of finding a way to open it. Eventually, Ace found the handle…but discovered the window was locked from the inside.

Reaching for his belt, Ace drew out a small glass cutter tool; which he used to gently create a small circular opening. This allowed him to reach inside and unlock the window. Ace gave his partner a thumbs up and leapt inside the building, arriving in a hallway.

While being careful not to make too much noise, Ace hurried to the front door and unlocked it; allowing Jack inside. "Come on, let's go find that scientist" Ace instructed in a hushed tone, as they pressed on. Suddenly, the lights flashed on; blinding the two heroes slightly.

As they tried to recover, the both of them suddenly spotted a glimmering blur whiz towards them. Due to both the blinding lights and the object in question, neither Ace nor Jack could defend themselves. Finally, the object struck them soundly on both their faces; causing them to fall.

As Ace tried desperately to recover, he felt the sudden pressure of extra weight press down on his back. Then, his arm was twisted around slightly in a dangerous position; one that could cause dislocation, if he moved improperly. _"Stay right where you are sleazeball"_ a voice grumbled _," one wrong move and I rip your arm off!"_

Ace tried to call for One-Eyed Jack's help. But he soon found that Jack was also being held captive. However, what truly surprised him was _whom_ Jack was being held by. Once his vision had cleared; Ace saw two, small blonde twins sitting atop his partner.

Both of said girls appeared to be five years of age, had blond hair and a gap within their teeth. But the two of them were incredibly different, in spite of being twins. The one on the left wore what appeared to be a pink pageant gown, long gloves over her arms, white high-heeled shoes and a princess tiara.

The other appeared to be dressed more like a little boy. From her backwards cap, her blue overalls lightly covered in dirt, her mussed up hair right down to her bare feet. "What the…we were taken down by a pair of five year olds?" exclaimed Ace, dumbfounded.

Upon saying this, the girl holding _him_ down twisted his arm again. _"Wrong-o, bub"_ she growled, _"your pal got whooped by the five year olds,_ your _defeat is courtesy of_ moi." As best as he was able, Ace looked over his shoulder and saw his assailant.

It was a young teenage girl with brown hair tied in a ponytail wearing a red and white t-shirt, red shorts and athletic wrist bands. As the two heroes tried desperately to break free, they were soon greeted by four other young ladies. The first of these four was fifteen years old, had short brown hair and wore a purple rocker's outfit with a faux dog collar and purple boots.

The second was a year younger than the rocker girl. She wore braces on her teeth, a clown's bowtie, a yellow checkerboard skirt, puffy yellow socks, brown shows with pink bows and Ace spied what looked like a flower on her white t-shirt. Beside her was an older, blonde girl; possibly sixteen years old.

She had medium-length blonde hair, sunglasses resting atop her head, a green hair band, a matching green dress and white shoes. When One-Eyed Jack caught a glimpse of the "leader," his one visible eye almost popped from his head. It was a tall, lovely (in his mind) young seventeen year old.

She wore a light blue t-shirt, brown cargo shorts, had blue slip on shoes on her feet and held a small touch-screen phone in her hands. The leader ceased typing, looked down at the two costumed heroes and sighed. "Look, guys; I don't want to be rude" she said softly, "but Halloween is literally three months away.

"What…but we aren't trick r' treaters" groaned Jack, struggling under the twins combined weight. "Really…because you two look like a couple of clowns, to me" the rocker girl said firmly. "Besides, we have enough clowns with _me_ around. HA-HA-HA-HA! Get it?" the girl in braces chuckled.

Everyone, save for Ace and Jack, groaned in annoyance at her attempt at a joke. Then, they turned their attention back to their two captives. "We'll give you boys a choice" offered the princess girl, "either cooperate and tell us why you're here…or we'll have to make you talk."

The elder ladies cracking their knuckles felt threatening enough. But the tomboyish twin offered two other options. "How about we sick Charles on them" she suggested, "or worse…we make them change one of Lily's diapers." While the other girls grimace at the latter idea, Ace and Jack felt otherwise.

"Changing a diaper… _that's_ you're idea of torture" quipped Ace, "laugh all you want, pal…but you haven't smelled the kind of dirty diapers our sister makes" chuckled the ponytail teen maliciously. To prove her point, she asked for the two little twins to bring Lily forward. As they approached, Ace smelt an odd odor in the air.

The two heroes then heard the baby giggle, which were followed by the sounds of guttural growling and a sickening "plop." After that, the baby's diaper suddenly filled itself to near bursting and Ace could now sense the trouble they were in. The team of girls smiled wickedly, as they collected their sister's diaper and proceeded to hover it before the two heroes' faces.

"Last chance, boys" the elder said threateningly, "tell us who you are and why you're here…or else!" At that moment, a nearby door suddenly burst open; causing everyone to turn towards it. At the doorway, everyone saw a figure standing there with bags in her arms.

"I believe; my dear siblings that you have one Ace Savvy and his associate, One-Eyed Jack in your grasp" a voice spoke in a lisp. The girls gasped in shock and swiftly released their captives. "O.M. gosh" cried the second eldest girl excitedly, "I can't believe _the_ Ace Savvy is in _our_ home!"

The two wee twins bounced with joy, after helping the heroes to their feet. "You guys are super cool, we watch you on the news all the time" cried the tomboy, "and your outfits are to die for" said the pageant girl. Ace gave them all a nervous chuckle, unsure of how to react to the heel-turn attitude.

At that moment, he felt a swift pat on his shoulder by one of the others. Ace turned around to see the girl who manhandled him earlier, smiling broadly. "I should've known you two weren't some two-bit trespassers" she chuckled, "you're much tougher than the last guy we sent packing."

Ace chuckled softly at the compliment and then, another girl suddenly popped up; seemingly out of nowhere. She was eight years old with a small black dress, black shoes, black and white stripped stockings on her legs, matching striped shirt sleeves beneath her dress and the bangs of her black hair covered her eyes. Because of how suddenly she appeared and how silently she did so, even Ace felt shocked…and he'd seen much more alarming sights.

"How did you find us" she murmured in a monotone voice, "we live underground, even the mailman doesn't know where we live." After taking a moment to collect his nerves, Ace cleared his throat and greeted the girls pleasantly. "So sorry to drop in unannounced, ladies" he began, "but my partner and I heard of a scientist that lives in this place and we're in need of his or her help."

"Then, you came to the right place" a voice spoke, "that genius is right here." Ace turned to his side and came face to face with a man in his forties with brown hair; though slightly balding. He wore a green shirt, a tie with the Union Jack flag symbol on it, brown slacks and brown shoes. Ace smiled at the man and shook his hand in greeting.

"You must be Doctor Loud" he stated, "I must say it's an honor to meet you." The man couldn't help but stammer slightly but failed to speak up, as Ace continued to speak. "So sorry to intrude but my partner and I are in need of your assistance" he requested.

"Well…I'll be happy to help however I can" the man assured, "but I'm afraid there are only _two_ people in this building named Doctor Loud and my wife is simply a dental assistant. Ace blinked in surprise and looked behind the man. There, he spotted 's wife; she also appeared to be in her forties or late thirties.

She had a pink shirt, purple pants, had big blonde hair, blue eye shadow, her lips were coated in lipstick, wore black low-tops and she had white earrings hanging from her ears. "Then…if she isn't the doctor I've read about, who is" inquired Ace, baffled. At that moment, he felt something tug at the hem of his cape.

He turned around and spotted a small four year old with glasses, short brown hair, a green turtleneck, pink pants and brown shoes. While Ace and Jack stared at her in shock, the wee child simply gazed at them with a stoic expression. "I would share in my siblings excitement in having our town's heroes with us" she murmured, "but unfortunately, I do not have room in my brain for such feelings."

Regardless of her demeanor, the little one shook both their hands in greeting. Finally, Ace gazed at her carefully in speculation. "Careful, Sir" Rita interjected, "you might strain your eyes looking that closely."

"Sorry, Ma'am…I'm just having trouble processing things" Ace stated, "agreed, how can this little girl be _the_ Doctor Loud; famed scientist and architect?" queried One-Eyed Jack. After taking a moment to clean her glasses, the little girl assured them they found the right person. "I may be young but my intellect is so vast; I was able to graduate college with a Master's in engineering, architect, natural sciences and other fields" she listed proudly.

The wee girl then proceeded to show off her trophy display. Said display contained her various degrees, a diploma from Yale and a picture of her completing the underground lab/house. The two heroes took a moment to process everything, before facing the _true_ genius again.

Just before Ace was about to speak, he noticed other awards displays present. "Goodness, gracious Doctor Loud" he exclaimed softly, "are all _these_ yours as well?" "Please, I'd prefer to be called Lisa; when present among my kinfolk" the child genius stated.

"But to answer your question, these other awards belong to her nine other sisters" her father added. Both heroes gasped upon hearing this revelation, how on earth could anyone birth ten girls in one lifetime. Upon seeing their shock, Rita gave a little chuckle.

"Rest assured, Ace; I didn't birth all these girls at once" she informed, "true…but it's still quite a feat raising so many of them at once" Ace stated. The father chuckled heartily at him and introduced the family. "My name is Lynn Loud, aspiring chef and part-time rocker/cowbell ringer" he said proudly, "you've already met the missus; so, let me introduce you to our girls."

The first to be introduced were the four oldest. "The first is Lori, she helps keep the girls safe and in line" Rita stated, while gesturing for her daughter to come greet their guests. While busy texting on her phone; she still took a moment to greet them with a soft smile and a murmur of "hey, what's up."

Upon hearing her voice again, One-Eyed Jack almost fell to the floor with a sigh. But Ace quickly helped him keep his footing while also greeting the young lady. "The one next to _her_ is Leni" the father spoke suddenly, "she…isn't very bright but she makes up for it with her sense of style and big heart."

"Yes, of course; our big fan" Ace chuckled, "thank you for standing up for us, after learning who we are." Leni smiled and gave a modest wave, "it was totes no problem, guys" she stated. The heroes were then introduced to the family's resident entertainers.

"The one with the braces is Luan, she's our family's practical joker/aspiring stand-up comedian" Rita explained. With that said, Luan beckoned for Ace to approach her. "So sorry for roughing you guys up" she said apologetically, "wanna sniff my flower, to show there are no hard feelings?"

Ace was a tad confused by such an offer but then, he remembered Rita saying she was a jokester. It was then that he realized the flower may have been rigged to squirt him and thus, he denied the offer. Alas, One-Eyed Jack didn't consider such things and proceeded to smell the flower in his partner's place.

But what happened next was something neither of them had expected. As Jack took a sniff, a burst of water sprayed out of the flower; like it was shot from a fire hose. The two heroes stumbled back slightly, shaking themselves dry.

"HA-HA-HA-HA! You like that, it's a new spin on a classic gag" Luan chuckled, proud of herself. Ace, though still sopping wet, gave a little chuckle in response. "That _was_ a good one, I really thought I'd come out of this dry."

After sharing a good laugh; Ace was then introduced to Luan's older sister, Luna. "Nice to meet ya, mates" she greeted with a cockney accent, "welcome to our home." Ace looked behind her and spotted an electric guitar seated nearby.

"Is that yours, if I may ask" inquired the hero, "right-o, I'm a rocker and I have a passion for playin'" Luna replied. She then proceeded to demonstrate her skills by playing a strong guitar riff. Because of the amp's volume, the music almost sent both Ace and Jack flying across the room.

After that, all remained silent and everyone looked at the heroes; hoping Luna didn't go too far. Not a second later, they came back; stumbling slightly and slightly dazed from the powerful display of music. Finally, after shaking away the cobwebs from his mind; Ace spoke.

"That…was… _AWESOME!"_ he cheered madly with glee, Luna was both amazed and flattered by the young hero's words. "Ya really like my tunes" she asked, "I mean…they aren't as rockin' as Mick Swagger or Smooch's skills yet but…" Ace quickly raised his hand, halting her from continuing.

"I really mean it, that was some awesome guitar work" Ace boasted, "I agree…if only I could dance to the beat" Jack murmured dejectedly. Luna sensed that his attitude was "bumming" and gave Jack a sincere pat on the back. "You may not be able to groove…but you _do_ have some killer fighting moves" she praised.

"Agreed; especially after seeing how much you spun circles around Flash Card, last week" cheered the middle child of the sisters. Rita proceeded to introduce her as Lynn Jr., "Lynn was named after my husband and she is our family's top athlete" she praised warmly. Intrigued, Ace decided to put her possible skills to the test.

"If what you say is true, mind if she and I had a small sparring match here?" he asked the parents. To which they and the girls all gasped in alarm, fearing about what might happen. "Don't worry, I'll make sure not to go too far" Ace assured.

"It's not her safety we're worried about…it's _yours_ " Lori stated, backing away slightly. Before anything further could be said, Ace suddenly felt something sweep at his ankles; knocking him backward. But he quickly back-flipped onto his feet again and took a defensive stance.

"Nice recovery, dude" Lynn Jr. complimented, "but that alone won't save you from the Royal Woods Junior Martial Arts Champ!" With that said, she rushed at Ace and the two began to fight. Miraculously, despite some moments of lost footing; the young hero was able to hold his own.

Finally, after five minutes of sparring; their match swiftly ended, when both swung their hands at their necks in a swift side chop. Both fighters halted their arms just inches away from their throats. After that, they both collected their breath and shook hands.

"You really _are_ as good as your father says…I'm impressed" Ace said between breaths, "the feeling…is mutual, hero" chuckled Lynn tiredly. After that, the rest of the introductions went along smoothly; beginning with Lynn's younger sister, Lucy. "She may be all about darkness and the shadows…but underneath it all, she loves her sisters" Rita assured. Ace nodded in response and shook Lucy's hand.

"Sorry about spooking you earlier…it happens a lot with my family and others, I'm a quiet person" the little Gothic child murmured. "No harm done, us heroes need to keep on our toes" Ace replied warmly. After that; the heroes were introduced to the twins, Lana and Lola.

"Lana is the second tomboy of our family" Lori stated, "she's not afraid to get down and dirty or do things 'solely reserved for men'." Ace scratched his head and asked what, exactly she was implying. Lana chuckled and brought the heroes over to the van.

"Whenever the van breaks down, the pipes start to leak or even when the toilet clog's; I'm the gal with the skills" she said proudly. "You mean you can do all that…by yourself" questioned One-Eyed Jack, "well…not always, she certainly doesn't help with Lisa's machines" Rita stated. "And even when she _does_ do handiwork, we make sure to watch over her" Lynn Sr. assured.

"She also has a habit of bringing disgusting critters home with her, when we leave the house" grimaced Lola. "HEY! They aren't just creatures, they're my friends and family" Lana retorted. Upon saying this, Ace heard the sudden cacophony of animal sounds nearby.

He approached one of the rooms and came upon what looked like a petting zoo. But in actuality, it was (as Lana called it) her "personal animal preserve." Inside was a large menagerie of creatures; from pigs, snakes, insects, birds, reptiles and One-Eyed Jack swore he saw a monkey swinging from the ceiling.

"These creatures were originally, meant to be Lisa's test subjects" Lynn Sr. stated. "But Lana quickly stepped in and demanded they be left alone; they bonded, sometime afterward." Ace was amazed by how many animals there were.

His thoughts were quickly interrupted, as Lola pulled away from there and quickly brought him to _her_ room. Upon opening the door, Ace's vision was soon assaulted by a sudden onslaught of pink colors and glimmering lights. "This is where I sleep and where I prep myself for all my pageants" Lola explained.

Ace chuckled softly and turned his attention to the other side of the room. There he noticed something odd; compared to Lola's side, the left half appeared rather different. Its walls were decorated with pictures of nature, wildlife, race cars and Ace swore he spotted traces of mud on the bed sheets.

"If you're wondering about _that_ half of the room; it's my sister's, we share this room…unfortunately" Lola shuddered. "Wow…are you able to keep everything in place, while sharing the same room" questioned Ace. Lola smiled proudly and showed off her neatly set up gowns, sashes and outfits.

"Everything I have is in its place and organized" she said proudly, "Lana, in spite of her mess…also manages to keep organized." Upon hearing this, Lana came rolling in with a dog in her arms. "I always know where my stuff at in my piles" she chuckled, the dog softly barked in agreement.

It then stared at Ace softly, never moving and never making a sound; save for a breath from its nostrils. Then, it suddenly leapt up and tackled him to the floor; licking Ace relentlessly. "Ha-ha-ha! Hey…c-c-c'mon, that tickles" he giggled while petting the dog.

Lana couldn't help but gush at them, "aww, Charles likes you" she cooed softly. Despite her prissy nature, Lola still had a soft spot for some of their pets; Charles being one of them. She jumped off her makeup chair and stroked her gloved hand through Charles' white fur.

"Charles doesn't take to strangers that easily" Lola confessed, "but I guess, there's something about _you_ that he likes a lot." After hugging the dog one final time, Ace got back to his feet. A moment later, the hero met with the last two members of the family.

"We've met earlier, Sir; when you confused my father for me…you may call me Lisa" she said blankly. Ace chuckled softly, apologized for the misunderstanding and shook the young prodigy's hand. "The little one in the crib beside us is Lily, the youngest of our kin" she stated.

One-Eyed Jack approached said crib and proceeded to playfully babble at the baby. But as he prepared to move back; Lily took hold of his eye patch and began to pull at it. Jack got nervous and tried to calmly ask the baby to let go, as did Ace and Lisa.

"Little one; kindly remove our guest's eye piece, if you would be so kind" Lisa requested. Her plea seemed to have worked, as Lily proceeded to release the eye patch. But because of this, it suddenly whizzed forward and snapped against the hero's face hard.

Lori quickly spotted Jack falling to the floor and quickly rushed to his side. "OMG, are you literally alright" she asked worriedly, cradling Jack's head. With a soft groan, Jack's one eye slowly opened to find Lori standing over him.

Not a second later, his body began to twitch and a small streak of blood seeped out of his nose. "EWWW!" Lori cried in alarm, "what the heck just happened, why is his nose bleeding like that?" Lisa clicked her tongue and assured her sister that all was well.

"I can assure you, dear Sister that is feeling quite well" she assured. "This is simply an involuntary reflex of some kind, it's beyond his control." Upon hearing his name be mentioned, One-Eyed Jack quickly snapped out of his awe-struck state.

"Uh…Uh…I do not know of this ' ' you speak of, Miss" he murmured, disguising his voice poorly. "You can dispose of the theatrics, Sir; they will not help you" Lisa said matter-of-factly. Jack began to sweat nervously, his mind buzzing with questions.

How did she learn of his identity, who else in the family knew, did Ace know of this circumstance…and what would the family plan on doing with such knowledge. As if on cue, Ace Savvy came walking by and saw how nervous his friend was. "Are you okay, buddy" he asked with concern, "you look a little peaked."

After snapping back to reality, Jack pulled Ace over and began whispering to him. After being told the news; the two, nervously turned their heads towards the two sisters. Making certain to still appear calm and respectable, Ace asked how many others knew their secret.

"All of us do" Lisa stated, "it wasn't that difficult to figure out, however." The genius proceeded to explain she would find traces of blood at the scene of their battles, which she would collect. She also mentioned how no one else known, other than them, could match Ace and Jack's likenesses.

"If you _do_ know our identities…prove it" challenged Ace, Lisa adjusted her glasses and smiled knowingly at them. She then brought forth her laptop and used it to bring up Ace's file. "'Spade Nifty: Alias Ace Savvy; Son of James "Shadow" Nifty, a lieutenant for the Royal Woods Police Force. Became an orphan at age 8; after Shadow and his wife, Colette were murdered at a local poker bar.'"

Upon hearing the story, all of the Loud Sisters (even Lily) gasped in horror. "Who would do something so horrible like that to someone else" cried Leni, her face moist with tears. "According to the file, the murder was a result of the attacker's lust and fowl temperament" Lisa explained, which was met with a collective set of confused stares.

Before the prodigy could explain further, Ace/Spade quickly stepped in. "My mother was a waitress; she and my dad met, after he and his friends came for some drinks to celebrate bringing down a drug-peddling racket" he explained. Several of the girls sighed blissfully, proclaiming the meeting to be romantic.

"My dad always said they were like two peas in a pod together" Ace sighed. "She would act as an informant/spy for him, while on duty" One-Eyed Jack added, "together, they put a lot of people in jail." When the sisters asked how he knew about that, Jack explained how Shadow once saved his family's home from being robbed.

"Wow…that's _awesome_ " exclaimed Lana, "so…how did he get hurt…if you don't mind my asking" inquired Lucy softly. Ace hesitated, at first; wondering if it was wise to tell a family of strangers such a deep secret. Then, he suddenly felt Rita's hand rest reassuringly on his shoulder.

"My father always told me that the path from inner turmoil or suffering begins with one friendly ear" she stated. " _All_ our ears are open, if you want to talk about it." Ace still found himself hesitating but when he took in 's words, he decided to share the load.

"I was eight, when it happened; just like the file said" he began. "My dad went to the poker bar for a drink, after finishing a case. My mom was there too, serving some of the customers." As he continued, Ace's voice began to choke up and tears threatened to pour out from his clenched eyelids.

"Then; a big, drunken bruiser started throwing a hissy fit over being 'cheated' out of a victory in his poker game" Ace growled, clenching his fists. "Then, he takes my mom by her hand and says 'c'mon, sister…give me a good pick-me-up; I need one right now'" he grimaced. The Loud Sisters all shuddered violently at the thought of being manhandled in such a way, even Lily sputtered in disgust.

"And…And then what" stuttered Lola, both anxious and fearful about what happened next. "The file states that Detective Nifty tried to defend his wife's honor by telling the ruffian to back away. But because of his inebriated state, said ruffian wouldn't take no for an answer from her" Lisa explained fearfully. Ace clutched his hands to his ears, as the young genius finished the story.

"During the fight, Spade took the poker deck from the table and proceeded to throw the cards into the man's face" she said with a slight chuckle. "Whoa, guess that ol' flatfoot still had a… _trick up his sleeve!_ HA-HA-HA-HA…get it?" Luan guffawed loudly. The sisters all groaned at her pun and Rita urged Lisa to finish the story.

"At first, it seemed that minuscule distraction did the trick" the prodigy explained, "for while the ruffian was confused, Shadow rushed to Colette's side and they attempted to escape through the doors." Leni clapped her hands with great excitement at this, "YAY! This feels like a happy ending" she said hopefully but Ace knew differently. With a weary sigh, Lisa brought up the final page of the news report up on her laptop.

On the screen was a deck of trading cards, all coated in blood. Among these different cards was one bearing the ace symbol. "Just as Spade's parents reached the door. The drunken ruffian drew out his gun and shot them both" Lisa murmured with disgust.

Upon hearing this, the sisters and their parents were awash with distress. But Ace, on the other hand, was on the verge of emotionally collapsing. "How could he do that to them, they did _nothing_ wrong… _nothing wrong!_ " he growled under his breath, heaving violently in anger.

Upon seeing their guest in such a distressed state, no one knew what to do next. Then; Lily climbed out of her crib, crawled her way up to Ace/Spade and sat before him. Upon seeing the baby, Ace's demeanor softened slightly.

Suddenly, the little one did something no one in the room expected; she hugged her tiny arms warmly around Spade. Taken off-guard by this gesture, he was unsure to protest or welcome the embrace. But before he could do either/or, the other Louds soon joined in.

"Don't be sad, Ace" pleaded Lana, "yeah, you may have lost your family…but you gained a new one" Leni stated. Both Spade and the girl's sisters were taken aback by this. "Leni…sometimes, you're a mystery to even me" Lisa said with a smile.

"Oh…but my name's not A Mystery, I'm Leni" she said bluntly, which earned a collective exasperated moan from the family. "She _does_ have a point, though" Rita interjected, "I feel like you coming here was meant to happen." The others all murmured in agreement; even Lisa, who often dismissed the idea of Fate causing things to happen.

"We'll tell you what, my boy; you can stay here with us" Lynn Sr. suggested, "oh…I appreciate the offer but you already have your hands full" Ace/Spade said sheepishly. "No dice, bra" chimed in Luna, "you don't have a home and we're in need of some excitement here. Having a crime-fighting friend in our house may do just the trick." The other sisters nodded in agreement and then, One-Eyed Jack pointed something out.

"Remember why we came here, Ace" he reminded him, "we're in need of a new lair." Leni gasped in shock and asked what happened to the old one. "It burned down; if we don't have a base, we can't protect the city" Ace/Spade sighed.

Just then, an idea began to form in Lisa's mind. Weeks passed by since Ace met the Loud Family and one night, he and One-Eyed Jack got called off on a mission. While they were away; Lisa called Lynn Jr., Leni and Lana to her side.  
"Alright, everyone; Ace and Jack are in need of a new base and that is exactly what we'll give them" she ordered. "So, what are we supposed to do about that" questioned Lana, "to answer your question, I direct you to these" chuckled Lisa, gesturing at a pile of stone slabs. "What are we going to do with those" Leni asked, curiously; "the first thing to do, Sister is for you to use your artistic skills in giving these slabs the proper likeness of a tourist trap" Lisa explained.

Upon seeing the blank expression on Leni's face, the child prodigy facepalmed herself and presented some paint buckets. "What I want you to do, Leni is to paint" she explained as carefully as possible, Leni gasped with delight and proceeded to remove her shoes. But just before she could finish, Lisa gripped her gently by the wrist.

"No, Leni; not your toes…I want you to paint these slabs here" she instructed irritably. Finally, all became clear to her and Leni took the paintbrush in her hand. "What am I going to paint, exactly" she asked, to which Lisa answered by presenting a paper before her.

"I want you to make these slabs look just like what's on this paper…understand?" she asked hopefully. Leni nodded slowly, trying to comprehend what she was told to do. At that moment, Lori came to her sister's side.

"Don't worry, Lis" she assured, "I'll be here to help her." With that settled, Lisa turned her attention to Lynn. "Once they are ready, you will be tasked with putting each slab in its proper place" she explained.

Lynn gave a chuckle and cracked several parts of her body slightly. "This job shouldn't be too hard" she stated, sure of herself. "What about me, what can I do?" questioned Lana anxiously, "you will assist _me_ in binding the foundation together, once the slabs have been painted" Lisa replied.

Lana gave a confident chuckle and collected her tools. "Just say the word and I'll have those shingles on so tight, you could bounce pennies off them" she stated. With all positions filled, the Loud Family quickly began their work.

The hours passed in what felt like a flash and the two young heroes made their way back to the underground laboratory. But doing so on foot proved to be a very hard task, almost as much as the crime they've just foiled. "Perhaps…we should've…taken the bus to the crime scene" Jack heaved between breaths, "maybe…we can ask Lisa to make us special motorbikes to ride" Ace suggested.

At that moment, they heard wheels softly approaching their location. Ace looked ahead and spotted the same minivan they saw yesterday; when they found the hideout. The vehicle came to a halt, the window opened and Lori greeted them with a smile.

"Hey, boys" she called out with a smile, "you two look like you need a lift." With a press of a button, the van's sliding door opened and she beckoned the crime fighters to enter. Weary and with their feet throbbing painfully, Ace and Jack trudge inside of the van and they took off.

Thirty minutes later, they had reached their destination and what Ace saw next almost caused him to faint. On several parts of the grounds, he could see what appeared to be large trading cards strewn about. But what truly impressed him was the building before them.

It was a large house of cards, each card the size of the van they rode in. "What the…what is this place" murmured Jack, "this, boys…is your new base of operations" Lori chuckled in reply. This base was a two-storey card house, each card bearing Ace's symbol upon them.

On the top of this house, they could see a large satellite dish and a black card bearing a large red "A" upon it. The two young heroes gawked astounded at the sight before them. "This place looks incredible" Ace gasped, "who built all this" questioned One-Eyed Jack.

At that moment, two of the cards up front suddenly opened up like a pair of doors and out came the Loud Family. "Welcome home, Gentlemen" Lisa stated, "how do you like your new crib" Luna exclaimed. Ace stumbled about in awe, silently taking in the sight around him.

Then, he stared blankly at the Loud Sisters; who were anxious to hear his approval. "Well…don't leave us hanging, dude" Lynn Jr. urged softly, "it took a lot of sweat, hard work and tears to make this place." "Most of said tears were from Lori and Lola, who kept crying about broken nails" Lana chuckled.  
This caused a brief fight to break out between the three sisters. But it was suddenly halted, when Ace raced forward and clutched them all tightly in a hug. "Thank you…Thank you all so much" he gasped with joy, "I don't know what Jack and I can do to repay you."

At that moment, Lynn Sr. approached the young hero and patted his shoulder. "You can repay us in two ways, " he chuckled, "name it and I'll try to do what I can to grant your favor" Ace replied. "The first thing you can do…is to join our family" Lynn said suddenly, which earned a shocked gasp from the young hero.

He looked around at all the girls and saw that each of them had a smile on their face. Rita soon joined in and hugged the young man in her arms. "What do you say…will you join us" she asked softly, to which Ace replied with an immediate cheer and a tight hug around her neck.

With that settled, Ace asked what their second condition was. "Well, you've done so much in protecting people; we wanted to help you" Luna stated, "Leni's already got all our costumes made up and everything." Before Ace and Jack could say a word, they were brought down to the lab; where Leni showed them a series of outfits.

"Wow, did you really make these" queried One-Eyed Jack, "mm-hmm, I always love making new clothes and accessories" Leni replied. After that, the sisters all proceeded to dawn their new outfits, thus was born "The Full House Gang." After that day, Ace Savvy and One-Eyed Jack were not alone in their crusade to protect the city.

Now, Ace had allies…rather, a family to help him and together; justice had a new hand to play.

Back to Reality

As the memory slowly faded in Ace's mind, he felt One-Eyed Jack's finger tapping against his head. "Uh…Partner, are you feeling alright" he asked with concern, Ace snapped out of his daze and faced him. "Yeah…sorry about that" he chuckled, "I was just traveling down memory lane to when we first met the girls.

One-Eyed Jack nodded softly and gave a dreamy sigh. "I know what you mean; meeting these girls, especially Lori was the best moment of my life." Ace gave his friend a smile headed off to the showers.

(AN: Whoa…this chapter was a long one and we've only just got started with the story. I guess I wanted to make sure to give each Loud Family member a moment to shine. Not to mention make Ace's backstory sound believable. I'm not sure how his past is defined in the comics within the show's universe. But I hope _my_ take is entertaining enough.)

(What does Fate have in the cards for our heroes? Tune in next time, to find out)


	3. Chapter Two: New Faces at the Club

New Faces at the Club

The doors burst open and Spade stepped out of the bathroom, feeling clean as a whistle. Jackson followed after him, after tying the belt of his bathrobe securely about his waste. "Ah! Nothing like a nice soothing shower after a night of crime busting" sighed Jackson, drying his puffy hair. "I just wish we didn't have to wait so long to take a shower" Spade groaned.

At that moment, they spotted Luna walking past them and towards the showers. "It's about time you dudes got finished" she sighed, "but Luna, we were only in there for fifteen minutes" Jackson informed. "Yeah…but I need to get ready right quick, mates; it's Friday Night" she stated in her cockney rocker accent, throwing her towel over her shoulder.

As the door shut, Spade suddenly realized from Luna's statement why she was in such a rush. Over the time he and Jack have lived with the Louds, Spade learned that several of the sisters had other engagements outside of their crime-fighting career. Lori had her time with Bobby, Lisa had her studies or lectures, Lola had her pageants or training for them, Luan had her sports tryouts and so on.

Luna's life outside of being Night Club was the first one Spade came to learn about. Luna was a rocker at heart and lived every hour of the day expressing that attitude. But sometimes; like some of the other sisters, her exuberant nature would go…a scooch too far.

This would result in sudden power outages due to too much equipment being plugged in, noise complaints from the family and/or having to pay for new guitars after having smashing them, whenever she got caught up in the moment; not necessarily in that order. Because of these events; Mr. Loud told Luna she would have to take up a part-time job on the weekends, if she wanted to "keep on rockin'" (as Luna would put it.) With a groan; Luna, begrudgingly agreed and set out to find somewhere to work.

Of course; being a rocker at heart, she found it difficult to find a place that paid well and suited her talents. One night, after having weeks of poor luck in finding a decent job; Luna considered throwing in the towel. To help ease herself; she turned to the top thing that helped lift her spirits, music.

Luna let out a sigh and began softly singing to the night sky, like a wolf howling at the moon. As luck would have it, her voice caught the attention of several people around the block Luna was on. Some were dancing inside their homes, while others peeked out their windows and whooped loudly in delight.

But their voices did not reach Luna's ears, as she continued to lament her days of failure. Finally, after finishing her melody; a sudden uproar caught the young teen's attention. It was the sound of loud cheers and wild clapping, things she only heard from her family (when they welcomed her rocking music.)

After standing up from the stoop, she chuckled nervously and shyly bowed in thanks to the crowd. "Thank you, folks; glad you liked my tune" Luna said softly, unsure if she should feel embarrassed or excited at her current situation. After bowing, several people began surrounding Luna; offering her words of praise or requests to entertain for them at social engagements.

Then, in moments; this cacophony of warm praise came to a sudden halt, as a fancy car suddenly stopped before the crowd. The door opened upwards and a man casually exited the vehicle. He was dressed in a flashy, dark blue sequin suit, had a blue tie with red stripes, blue sunglasses and black wing-tipped shoes.

He appeared to be in his mid-20's, had light skin, sleek black hair tied in a ponytail and a thick, chinstrap beard along his jaw and chin. The man clapped wildly with delight and proceeded to shake Luna's hand. "Missy, which was beyond amazing" he praised, "you've got an amazing voice on ya, you know that?"

Luna blushed profusely at the compliment and politely shook her head. "Nah…you should see me when I'm _really_ in the spirit, dude" she stated, the stranger smiled broadly and patted her shoulder. "Well, then…I guess, I'll have to take you up on that" he chuckled while presenting Luna with a card.

"Name's Niles Macarthur, I run the local club downtown and I want _you_ to come perform for me there" he said with a smile. Luna said nothing in response; she was so overcome with emotions that in moments, she fell back like a stone. Upon arriving at the club, the following Friday; Luna was what Leni would call _"_ _nervousited."_

Her palms were sweating, her heart pounded like a bass amped up to 200 and her throat felt dry. She almost felt like quitting…but it melted away, when she felt her family hug her tight. Even Spade joined in as well, despite being only an adopted member of their family. "Don't worry, Luna" assured Lori, "we've seen you in action and we know you'll blow away the crowd."

The rest of the family, parents included, all murmured excitedly in agreement. "I sincerely hope, however that 'blowing the crowd away' will only happen in a metaphorical sense, not a literal one" Lisa stated matter-of-factly. This earned a collective murmur of disgust from her siblings.

"Lisa, why do you always have to ruin a moment like that" Lana groaned, "I am simply making a point, little one" the child genius replied bluntly. After shrugging off her sister's tone, Luna hugged her family and proceeded into the club; ready to jam. By the end of the night, all the patrons couldn't stop thinking about Luna's skills.

They all felt so entertained by her show, the tip jar at the drink bar almost tipped over from becoming too top heavy. Mr. Macarthur warmly congratulated Luna on her skills and gave her a cut of the night's income. Upon seeing the wad of big bills within her envelope, Luna's eyes almost popped from her head.

"Uh…Mr. Macarthur, dude…Sir" she murmured, "I can't accept all this, it's too much." The club owner smiled and insisted that she take it. With a soft smile, Luna placed the envelope of money in her guitar case and shook the man's hand in thanks.

From that point on; every Friday to Sunday Night, Luna went downtown to perform for the people of Royal Woods. True, it wasn't as big as some of the big time venues some rockers played. But for her, it was a great start towards her dream. Every weekend, Luna would perform a medley of some of hers and the crowd's favorite tunes.

Of course, there were times where her other career as Night Club would leave her rather tired; thus reducing her to playing softer songs for the club patrons. But even then, they felt thoroughly entertained by her skills and were rather satisfied. So, for several months; things went about the same old way for Luna.

Then, on one faithful Friday night; Luna arrived at the club and was greeted by Mr. Macarthur. "Lunes, baby doll; ready for another night of rockin' out" the owner chuckled, "you got that right, Boss Man" Luna replied. As the young teen entered, a soft college rock melody suddenly filled her ears.

"Hold up…who's performing right now" questioned Luna, "Ah! That's the voice of our newest performer, Sam" Macarthur answered. Upon hearing this, Luna began to feel betrayed. "A new performer" she roared, "why wasn't I told anything about this?"

"We tried callin' to tell ya, girl" the bartender called out, "but your mama said you were out…doin' somethin' with your sisters." Luna blinked in surprise, realizing that the club must've called their home while she was…"out helping the family" two nights ago. "Why not go say hi, I'm sure you two will work well together" Macarthur insisted, to which Luna had no choice but to agree.

With an angry huff, Luna marched over to the stage; poised to give this "Sam" a piece of her mind. "Alright, pal" she began, "I dunno what you're plannin' here. But I…" Luna's tirade came to an abrupt halt, when she saw who was on stage.

To her surprise; the performer, Sam…was actually a girl. She appeared to be Luna's age, had short blonde hair with a blue streak dyed in atop her head. She wore burgundy-colored jeans with holes ripped at the knees, a blue leather jacket with a skull patch on the back, a studded belt around her waist, purple boots (much like her own) and a t-shirt beneath her jacket bearing a sort of roundel symbol. The crowd around Luna began cheering, as Sam began to sing a cover of Hootie and the Blowfish's "Hold My Hand."

" _With a little love and some tenderness  
We'll walk upon the water  
We'll rise above the mess_

 _With a little peace and some harmony  
We'll take the world together  
We'll take them by the hand_

 _'Cause I've got a hand for you, oh  
'Cause I wanna run with you"  
_

" _Yesterday, I saw you standing there  
Your head was down, your eyes were red  
No comb had touched your hair_

 _I said, get up, and let me see you smile  
We'll take a walk together  
Walk the road awhile, 'cause"_

" _'Cause I've got a hand for you  
I've got a hand for you  
'Cause I wanna run with you  
Won't you let me run with you, yeah_

 _Want you to hold my hand  
(Hold my hand)  
I'll take you to a place  
Where you can be  
(Hold my hand)  
Anything you wanna be because  
I wanna love you the best that  
The best that I can"_

 _"See I was wasted, and I was wasting time  
'Til I thought about your problems  
I thought about your crimes"_

 _"Then I stood up, and then I screamed aloud  
I don't wanna be part of your problems  
Don't wanna be part of your crowd, no"_

 _"'Cause I've got a hand for you  
I've got a hand for you  
'Cause I wanna run with you  
Won't you let me run with you_

 _Want you to hold my hand  
(Hold my hand)  
I'll take you to the promised land  
(Hold my hand)  
Maybe we can't change the world but  
I wanna love you the best that  
The best that I can, yeah"_

As Sam and the band kicked into an instrumental, Luna was awash with emotion. Not only was the performance truly wonderful but something about Sam seemed to…enchant her, for some reason. It felt as though Sam was singing to her

" _Let me walk, oh won't you let me, let me  
(Hold my hand)"_

" _Want you to hold my hand  
(Hold my hand)  
I'll take you to a place where you can be  
(Hold my hand)  
Anything you wanna be because_

 _I oh no, no, no, no, no  
(Hold my hand)  
Want you to hold my hand  
(Hold my hand)  
I'll take you to the promised land  
(Hold my hand)  
Maybe we can't change the world but  
I wanna love you the best that  
The best that I can  
Oh, best that I can"_

As the song came to a close, the crowd of patrons went absolutely wild. In the uproar, Luna couldn't help but share her own wild cheers. "Thank you very much, folks" Sam said humbly, "I'll be back in five, just gotta get something to soothe the ol' vocal cords."

With that, she placed her guitar on the stool and proceeded towards the bar. "Can I get a diet Dr. Pepper, please" Sam requested, the bartender gave a nod and proceeded to get the drink. "Better make that a double, pal" Luna chimed in, as she approached the bar.

The barkeep gave a nod and poured another cup of Dr. Pepper. After handing the ladies their drinks, he went back to his earlier business. "You got good taste there, girl" Sam quipped pleasantly, Luna only chuckled softly in response.

After that, the two sat in silence for what felt like ages. Until, at last; Luna decided to break the ice by complimenting Sam's skills. "I loved the song you played, Hootie and the Blowfish ROCK" Luna cheered, "thanks, someone in the crowd requested it and I thought I'd give it a shot" Sam chuckled.

After taking a few sips of her drink, Mr. Macarthur gestured for Luna to come up and perform. "Looks like that's my cue" she stated, "watch my drink for me till I get back?" Sam smiled and gave her a thumbs up in reply. As the band began their tune, the drummer gave Luna the signal to begin her solo.

Without a second thought, Luna skidded softly across the stage on her knees and let out a massive guitar riff. This sound caused every partier in the place to go wild with joy. Sam was especially surprised by her skills.

When the song slowly ended, three minutes later, there was an echo of cheers and whistles from the crowd. "THANK YOU, ALL; HAVE A GOOD NIGHT!" shouted Luna, as she walked off-stage. There, she was greeted by an extremely excitable Sam.

"Oh, my _God_ " she cried, "the boss wasn't kidding, you are a true rocker." Sam was taken aback by the compliment and chuckled sheepishly, as a faint blush tainted her cheeks. "Aww, shucks" she murmured, "just doin' what I love and lovin' what I do."

Sam let out a soft gasp, upon hearing Luna's words. "That's one of Mick Swagger's 'Top Rules of Rock,' isn't it" she asked eagerly, which made Luna also gasp. "Bra, you dig Mick too" she exclaimed, "he's, like…my idol, he inspired me to become who I am!"

After that, the two young ladies proceeded to talk about their favorite bands and when they decided to first take up the chance to play. In time, they began to grow rather close; becoming surefire friends. "Wow, Luna" Sam sighed, "the boss said you were awesome but I didn't think you'd be _this_ much so!"

"Aw…Mr. M braggin' about me again, is he" Luna chuckled, "keep it up, Boss and I might get a swelled head." Moments pass and the clock was minutes away from 10 PM. This meant that the club would be closing soon and that her family would be coming to pick her up any minute.

"I gotta go" Luna murmured, collecting her pay from the boss. But just as she reached the door, Sam's voice quickly stopped her. "Before you go, I wanna give you something" she stated, grabbing one of the Post It notes from the bar table.

Luna stared at the girl with silent confusion, wondering just what she was writing. Then, Sam approached her and lightly pressed the note against Luna's guitar case.

The Loud girl picked it up and saw an address written on it. She looked at Sam and asked what it was for? "If you ever want to rehearse together, sometime; just stop on by" she offered.

Luna let out a soft gasp, realizing that she was looking at Sam's _home address_. "Uh…thanks; I'll take you up on that offer sometime" Luna murmured, "I hope you do consider it, I think we could play well together" Sam said with much flattery. Luna's face suddenly heated up like it was a steamed crab, upon hearing such a compliment.

Sam took notice of this and told her to go home for some nice long rest, until tomorrow. "Uh…sure, thanks" Luna murmured softly, as they exited through the door. Suddenly, the young rockers were met by the sound of a loud car horn blaring.

The two were so shocked by the noise, they leapt into each other's arms in surprise. After that, Luna soon heard an all too familiar laugh nearby. Then, she realized that her and Sam were hold in each other and quickly backed away.

After taking a moment to calm herself and collect her gear, Luna glared at the large van by the sidewalk. "Don't want to… _toot my own horn,_ Luna. But that was quite a scare we gave you. HA-HA-HA-HA, get it?" questioned Luan, as her head popped out the window.

"Very funny, Sis" Luna grumbled, "I hope you realize you guys almost gave me a heart attack, just now!" "Do not worry, Elder Sister" assured Lisa, "should that have happened, I have a defibrillator underneath my seat." Luna gave a frightened shudder, not wishing to be subjected to electroshock therapy by her…often mad scientist sister.

It wasn't until she felt Sam lightly tap her shoulder when Luna, finally snapped out of her distressed state. "You know these gals, Lunes" she asked, "yup, that's my family in the van there" she chuckled shyly. Sam had to rub her eyes for a moment or two, to see if she was seeing straight.

"Hold on…they're _all_ your family" she asked, astounded; to which the Loud Sisters and their brother all nodded in reply. "I know, I still find it shocking myself" Luna stated, "does it…bother you that I have a big family?" Sam gave out a loud chuckle and assured Luna that all was well.

"If anything, this helps me understand why you're such a wild child" she stated. "A family this big would definitely give a rocker some inspiration, not to mention their own personal audience." The two rocker girls then shared a laugh, shook hands and went their separate ways; wishing each other good night.

In moments, Vanzilla began its journey back to their underground home. "So…Luna, who was your friend back there" questioned Leni, this made Luna feel a little nervous. "Uh…no one, she was…the headlining act at the club for tonight" she replied, "we had a jam session today, nothing big.

While her words _were_ , admittedly true; Lori could tell that her sister didn't tell them everything. "Are you sure there's nothing else you can say about her, Luna" she prodded, raising an eyebrow. "Naw…not really; besides, I'm gettin'…a little drowsy" she said with a yawn.

Lori still had suspicions about Luna's new friend. Not just because she was being protective, as the elder sister. But because there may be something to this "friendship" Luna didn't want to mention yet.

Regardless, Lori decided not to push the matter any further that night and continued driving on

(AN: Hold My Hand is property of Hootie and the Blowfish, not me. The character of Niles Macarthur, however is of my own creation. He is of no relation to The Loud House in any way…I hope.)


	4. Chapter Three: Luna's Sweet Dream

Luna's Sweet Dream

Moments later, after arriving back at the fortress; Luna had soon fallen into a deep sleep, upon lying in bed. As her mind slipped off to dreamland, she found herself in what some rockers called "Psychedelia."

Here; the world was colorful, beautiful and the air was full of soft music. Which to Luna; felt odd, at first because she preferred loud rocker tunes. But something about this place just felt so…inviting. Then, out of the tie dye skies; a figure floated down towards the earth.

To Luna's eyes, she was like an angel dressed in hippie and rocker clothes. Then, this being gestured for Luna to approach her and she did. Upon getting close enough, Luna saw that the face of the angel looked like…SAM!

"Whoa…did I inhale some of Lily's week-old diapers again" she murmured in a daze, which made the angel giggle. At first, Luna remained confused as to why Sam was in her dreams. But in time, she began to accept it and welcomed her company.

Much of the dream was spent with them flying over Psychedelia, hand in hand. Which lead to them jamming together, singing together and dancing together. Truly, Luna had never felt so at peace and happy before.

Then, something happened; something that Luna would never expect. After lying together in the fields for some time, the two rockers simply stared at one another for what felt like ages. Then, Sam scooted in closer to Luna, slightly alarming her.

Luna's nervousness grew even more, when she felt Sam's arms around her waist. "Uh…dudette, are you okay?" she murmured shyly, "yup…just wanted to get a look at you" Sam sighed. She then proceeded to run her hand through her hair slightly.

"You have great hair, Lunes; ya know that" Sam complimented, "uh…thanks, Leni and Lola are good at stylin' locks" Luna murmured. The remainder of the dream consisted of "Sam" complimenting and giggling with Luna. At first, this all felt off for the Loud girl.

But soon, she began to feel quite comfortable with it all; welcoming her P.D.A. Finally, Sam decided to make a bold move and began leaning towards Luna; lips fully puckered. "Oh…dude, does…does she wanna kiss me?" she murmured nervously, unsure of what to do.

Then, Luna's own lips began to pucker and she soon began to lean in towards Sam. The two ladies inched closer and closer towards each other, ready to make contact. Suddenly, the soft music of Psychedelia was disrupted by a loud blaring noise; causing the ground to quake.

Then, everything began to break apart and the two girls became separated. "LUNA, HEEEELP" cried Sam, as she flew away but Luna didn't know what to do. All she could do was watch her fly away, helplessly.

Then, the ground beneath her own feet began to crumble and she soon fell through. The next she knew, Luna found herself falling down a vortex of some kind. Then, she was suddenly flooded by a massive wave of water.

Outside the dream world, the Loud Family and Spade were all standing over Luna; trying to wake her. "Why won't she wake up" murmured Leni in distress, "she must be in a deep state of REM Sleep" Lisa surmised. Finally, the slumbering Loud girl shot up out of bed and proceeded to scream loudly in alarm.

"Whoa, Luna; easy" Lynn Sr. said soothingly, "it was all a dream…you're safe." Luna suddenly stopped herself and blinked several times to clear her vision. "Wha…What happened, why are you guys here…and why am I wet" she slurred sleepily.

"Sorry to bother you, sweetheart" Rita said apologetically, "but there's a distress call from the mayor on the line, it looks urgent." Upon hearing this; Luna got up out of bed, wrung out her clothes and proceeded to the changing room. "Oh…and about why your wet, I dumped some water to wake you up" Lana interjected quickly, "you better not have used Charles' dog water…or worse, Brah" Luna called out threateningly.

As she began to change into her hero attire, Luna couldn't shake off the dream she had. Through all the thoughts she had on it, one echoed loudly in her mind; why was she dreaming about Sam, of all people? _"No time to think about it now, girl"_ Luna thought determinedly, _"the city needs its heroes."_

Once dressed, Luna/Night Club rushed out of her room and joined her siblings at the supercomputer. "What's the situation, dudes" she asked, "the mayor sent us an S.O.S., he says it's urgent" Ace stated. With that, he and High Card ushered everyone to head over to Vanzilla with great haste.

(AN: A short chapter, I know but I don't want to rush into things like so many slipshod filmmakers would do. Trust me; in the next chapter, things will get real interesting.)


	5. Chapter Four: The Game Begins

A Terrible Twofer/The Game Begins

Down at the Royal Woods National Bank, the Mayor and Officer Schoffner of the local police force stood outside of the bank's vault; studying something. In time, our heroes arrived on the scene. "Evening Sir, Officer; can you tell us what happened" questioned Ace, "I believe the bank's vault has been broken into, Ace; _that_ is what happened" Card Counter said flatly.

Ace turned towards the child prodigy and murmured angrily how he already knew that. "What I'd like to know is how it happened" Ace asked calmly, "not sure if even we can tell ya, mack" sighed Officer Schoffner dejectedly. "Agreed; from what we heard, the tellers were all going about their business. When suddenly, the vault exploded from the inside." the mayor cried.

With that said, Royal Flush and Card Counter entered inside the vault and began looking about for clues. "Okay, I know the little genius there can probably learn what happened" Schoffner blurted out, "but what the lil' plumber hope to do here?" Upon hearing this, Royal Flush gave a whistle and the family dog leapt out of the van; carrying a tool box upon its back.

"My skills ain't limited to just toilets, Ma'am" she stated, "I also have some mechanic expertise." Officer Schoffner was pleased that one so young could have such skills. "Be that as it may, we're dealing with a break in" she stated, "don't know if mechanic or handywoman skills will be of use here."

"On their own, no…but with my genius working alongside her skills, we make a splendid team" Card Counter said with a soft smile. After that, they proceeded to study the vault door closely; hoping to find some sort of clue. Eventually, Royal Flush spotted something; it was the remnants of some sort of goop stuck along the rim of the doorway.

After carefully collecting a sample of the substance, Card Counter brought out a small laptop and placed it within the analyzer. "It shall take some time to learn what exact chemical substances were used to open the vault without destroying it and the contents inside" she surmised. "But I promise you, Mr. Mayor that we _will_ get to the bottom of this."

Ace and the others all murmured in agreement, which filled the mayor with joy. "Thank you all for your help, this has not been a very good week for me…for many reasons" the mayor groaned sadly. "Why, what else has been happening" Ace asked, "well…several other businesses have been hit, earlier this week. Including the science lab, the military weapons vault; where all the arrested criminals' gear is kept and several civilian households" Schoffner listed off simply.

"But that's not even the strangest thing about all that's happened" the mayor stated, this immediately caught the heroes' attention. "What else can you tell us, Sir" asked One-Eyed Jack, "did the criminals rob the mall…because if they did…" growled Eleven of Hearts. Everyone sighed softly in slight annoyance and the mayor mentioned news of a series of abductions that have happened as well.

Officer Schoffner then presented a case file containing reports on the abductions. After getting permission to look over the file, Ace began studying the pictures. "Yes…we've seen these faces before" Ace murmured, "yup, they were all mentioned on the local news over the past five days" High Card added.

The list of crimes did not seem to add up for the Full House Gang. Yes, the bank was a surefire target for all criminals. But what would they find at a science lab, a weapons vault or people's homes. "Believe me when I say I haven't even told ya the strangest part of this whole thing" murmured Officer Schoffner.

She then lead them into the vault and brought a single item to their attention, a Chess game piece; more specifically…a king "Aw, how cute" cooed the Eleven of Hearts, "that little…thingy has an adorable little hat on." The other team members disregarded their sibling's naïve comment and Ace began to examine the item.

"Who would leave a game piece in the middle of a crime scene" questioned the Eight of Spades, "I don't know…but it looks like there may be more to this item than we think." Ace murmured. Upon closer inspection, Ace noticed that the head of the piece didn't appear attached to the rest of it. With the greatest of care, he took hold of the crown and began twisting it.

At first, the rest of the Full House Gang wondered what he found and moved in closer. Ace gave another turn and the crown suddenly popped off the Chess piece. "Toy bwoke" babbled the Deuce, reaching playfully for the game piece.

"Not broke, sweetie" gasped High Card, "it looks like that thing is a fake." Ace nodded in agreement and looked inside the now opened King piece. "I think I see something…but it's too small to tell" he stated, Card Counter asked for the item in question and Ace handed it to her.

After shaking the piece slightly, something fell into Card Counter's hand. "What is it" questioned Jack, "it looks like…some sort of flash drive" murmured Ace. "This may contain information on the criminals who committed all the robberies and abductions" Card Counter murmured.

With that in mind, Card Counter quickly popped the drive into the USB port. After a moment or two of waiting, the young genius found the contents of the drive and opened it. When the file opened; much to Card Counter's surprise, it wasn't what she assumed it to be.

In a flash, what looked like a coat of arms suddenly appeared on the screen. "What is this, some sort of video game" groaned Strong Suit, "no…I recognize this emblem but I do not recall who it belongs to" Card Counter stated. Officer Schoffner scoffed softly and murmured under her breath how the girl may not be the "genius" the world claimed she was.

"With all due respect, Officer; I may be a genius. But I do not have enough room in my brain to house all the information in the universe" she countered sharply, with the added murmur of "believe me…I've tried." Before Card Counter and Officer Schoffner could engage in a verbal debate, Ace brought something to their attention on the screen. "I think it's some sort of video file" he said warily, "best to see what it is."

Everyone nodded in silent agreement and Card Counter clicked on the emblem. Upon doing so, a shadowed figure suddenly appeared. Before anyone could question who this stranger was, the figure began to speak.

 _"Merry and good day to ye, people of the Wood of Royals"_ he said in a regal tone, _"you may call me… the Black King, my court and I have come to this humble shire to test the mettle of their so-called 'greatest heroes.'"_ Upon hearing this, Strong Suit felt the urge to smash the laptop beneath her foot. "Nobody mocks our skills and gets off Scot free" she growled.

Card Counter gave her sister a shrill hiss, insisting her to keep quiet. Begrudgingly, the elder sister closed her mouth and folded her arms in irritation. With that settled, everyone returned their focus on the so-called "Black King" on the screen.

 _"The lot of you must wonder what purpose brings us here. Why, it is for the greater good of your people"_ he stated. _"Your land festers with decadence, vice, sin and lack of morality. Criminals run rampant through the streets, townspeople act deceptively towards one another, menfolk have become less driven to protect their own and what is worse, your land lacks strong leadership!"_ Despite the threatening tone in Black King's voice, some of the Gang could not help but agree with him.

"He has a point, is it too much to ask for a boy to whisk me off on a white stallion; like a gentleman would" Eleven of Hearts sighed, "yes…for several reasons, Sis" grumbled Royal Flush. "In spite of her…poor choice of words, I'm inclined to agree with our sister" murmured Card Counter. "I find it shameful that today, people consider autotune music to be more appealing than operatic arias!"

 _"Together, my family and our collective court shall dispose of our land's abhorrent civilization and bring back humanity to its_ proper _greatness…and your beloved heroes' efforts to deter us shall be fruitless, in the end. So says I, the Black King"_ the figure declared. After his statement was made, there came a loud outcry of _"so say we all"_ from behind him. In an instant, a series of lights flashed on; revealing two large groups of people.

Both of these groups seem to consist of people dressed in medieval attire. These groups had knights, bishops and pikemen standing among their ranks. At the head of these groups were what appeared to be two kings and two queens.

What truly made them stand out was the color of their attire. One group was outfitted in colors that were as black as pitch, while the second wore colors of pure white. The Black King drew out his sword and held it in a form of salute, before murmuring "let the game begin."

After that, the video stopped playing and the screen went black. "What the what were those weirdoes" murmured Officer Schoffner, scratching her head. "I don't know but I _loved_ their outfits, very chic" Eleven of Hearts complimented, "wonder if I can find one of those dresses in my size."

"This is no time to think about fashion" High Card stated, "we need to figure out who those weirdoes were and what they're planning." After saying this, Night Club let out a prodigious yawn. "Yeah, sure…but can we do it in the morning…I barely caught up in my zzz's."

High Card let out a sigh, believing her sister was showing signs of weakness. But then, she too began to feel signs of drowsiness and fatigue. "Sister, while I share in your desire to apprehend these felons" Card Counter began, "let us not forget that we _still_ require eight hours of slumber."

High Card hesitated, for a moment but soon relented to her own sluggishness. "Alright…we'll head home and rest" she sighed, "but tomorrow morning, after breakfast; we'll need to study up on these guys." At first, everyone considered refusing; considering that tomorrow was Saturday.

But then, they soon realized that they might be dealing with some seriously bad people and agreed to the elder sister's terms. After this, the Full House Gang turned to the mayor and assured him they would get to the bottom of things. "I have faith that you will; good luck, everyone and sleep well" the mayor stated.

The heroes bade farewell to him and Officer Schoffner, ignited the van and headed off for home. But as they departed; unbeknownst to them, a mysterious figure watched them leave from a high building. This figure pressed his hand against the emblem on his armor and it suddenly lit up.

In moments, a voice began to speak softly through the emblem. _"What news have you to report, my faithful white knight"_ the voice asked, "the fools found your message, my Queen; the game is now afoot" the knight replied. _"Excellent, return to the castle and we shall begin the next phase"_ the voice chuckled, as the emblem's light faded.

His job done, the mysterious knight rushed from the scene and back from whence he came.

(AN: Now, it seems the Gang has found a new enemy. Who are these mysterious people in medieval attire and what are they plotting? Tune in next time, to find out.)

(Second AN: For those wondering, Officer Schoffner was a character seen in the episode "Rita Her Rights. She was the officer her gave Rita all her citations, in the episode)


	6. Chapter Five: Attack at the Casino

Attack at the Casino

The following morning, after everyone had finished their breakfast; many minutes were spent in trying to learn who or what their enemy was and what they were plotting. But unfortunately, nobody seemed able to figure anything out. "Anybody got anything yet" questioned One-Eyed Jack, to which everyone gave a sad shake of the head.

"According to the video message, this 'Black King' and his cohorts wish to 'bring back humanity to its proper greatness'…whatever that means" murmured Strong Suit. "I believe the leader is referring to society's lack of intellectual, cultural, spiritual and socioeconomic prowess" Card Counter theorized. Despite the ring of truth her words carried, neither Ace nor the elder and younger sisters understood what she meant.

At that moment, Rita Loud entered and wished to offer _her_ two cents on the matter. "In this day and age, people seem to be losing touch with the world around them" she sighed. "People are getting so lost on everything flashy, new and high tech that they lose touch on the _true_ beauty of the world."

Ironically; as if on cue, everyone could hear the sounds of soft beeping. Which to them meant only one thing; High Card was texting…again. "Lori, I thought you said you wanted to focus on finding out who these crooks are" Ace said firmly, "no texting during a meeting."

"I know, I'm just responding to a message Mrs. Casagrande sent…she sounded worried" High Card stated. Upon hearing the name, the family murmured in understanding; for they new the Casagrande Family quite well. She was the beloved grandmother to Lori's sweetheart (and Jackson's "rival,") Bobby Santiago and young Ronnie Anne.

The Casagrande Family was as big as theirs, containing members of all age groups and each one was a dear friend to their family. Ace especially enjoyed sharing in the good food Ronnie Anne's grandmother always makes. "What does the message say" questioned the young hero, "is Bobby in some kind of danger?"

Lori responded by pressing the "play" button on her voicemail. After a few seconds of waiting, the voice of Mrs. Casagrande began to speak. _"Lori...Lori? Oh._ mijita… _please, pick up"_ she cried desperately, _"I wanted to know if you've seen Bobby recently. Hector says he's not been at the bodega or the building in weeks!"_

This bit of news sent a chill down the heroes' collective spines. If Bobby wasn't at work or home, where else could he be? "Did you see him around town recently, Lori" questioned Rita, to which her daughter gave a distressed shake of her head and continued listening to the message.

 _"Business has been slow lately and one night, a very fancy man came in. Hector told me he overheard him and Roberto talking…you know how much he likes to gossip"_ Rosa's voice giggled. Lori couldn't help sharing a laugh herself; the first time they met, she would see Hector sharing "juicy" stories about people with her family. _"Moving along…this gentleman approached Roberto and said he would be willing to help; provided that Roberto helped_ him _, in return"_ Rosa stated.

This bit of the message truly had an unsavory feeling to it. What "business" did this stranger want from Bobby, "I hope it's nothing shady" Lori murmured. After that was said, Mrs. Casagrande's message began to reach its end. The last thing she said was to call her, if anyone saw Bobby anywhere.

Upon turning off her phone, Lori began wringing her hands in worry. "Oh…my precious Boo-Boo bear, I hope he's safe" she cried, "don't worry, I'm sure he's fine…wherever he went" Jackson murmured. Surprisingly; he said all this without acting skittishly, speaking about Bobby in a malicious tone or succumbing to one of his famous nosebleeds.

"Where do you think he is" questioned Queen of Diamonds, "I don't know…but something about this fancy guy Mrs. C mentioned feels rather suspicious" Night Club stated. Everyone nodded in unison, agreeing to keep a bright lookout for this gentleman and Bobby; wherever he may be.

At that moment, the crime alert suddenly rang and Card Counter raced to the computer. Upon accessing the police radio signal, they overheard talk of another break-in happening at the Ace in the Hole Casino. "It can't be Loan Shark" Joker stated, "he's been put in the tank, just the other day. HA-HA-HA-HA! Get it…shark, tank?"

This pun, like many of her past ones, caused the heroes to groan in annoyance. "No time for jokes, we've got a job to do" High Card decreed, rushing to the van. Without a moment to spare, everyone collected their gear and jumped into the van with their comrade.

"Be careful, everyone" Rita said worriedly, "don't worry, Mrs. Loud; we've got each other's backs well protected" assured Ace. With that said, the ignition revved up and the van went flying up through the tunnel. Above ground, the hidden doorway of the Fortress of Solitaire slowly opened wide.

Once on the road, the van raced off with great speed towards Great Lakes City. Meanwhile, at the Ace in the Hole; Ms. DiMartino and her employees were trapped inside by what appeared a group of armed pikemen. "On your knees, wench; lest your compatriots wishes to be run through" the lead pikeman growled, Ms. DiMartino wanted to fight him…but the warriors' pikes were long enough to block any form of retaliation she would attempt.

With a heavy heart, she crouched down on her knees and held her hands over her head in submission. "This is where you sinners belong" another voice stated, "down on your knees with your heads low in shame!" Through the main entrance came what appeared to be two bishops, one dressed in white and the other black.

Each of them wore long robes over their seemingly frail forms, tall hats upon their heads bearing the Christian cross and held a crosier staff in their left hand. As the Black Bishop approached the hostages, Ms. DiMartino began pleading to his humanity. "Please…I beg of you" she whimpered, "my people and I are trying to run an honest business…we mean no harm.

This statement caused the bishops to laugh at her in cruel tones. "Surely you jest, wench" seethed the White Bishop, "you claim that your profession is an honest one…but we beg to differ." Then, after thumping the butt of his staff upon the ground, four pikemen proceeded to demolish a nearby poker table; alarming the patrons.

"Gambling is a hideous vice, leaving hardworking men and women penniless" the Black Bishop stated, "all who enforce or indulge in it must be punished." With that said, he signaled for the black pikemen to discipline the hostages. "At your command, Your Reverence" the soldiers murmured, after kissing his ring.

With weapons in hand, they marched towards the frightened peoples. Then, like a shooting star; something whizzed by and struck the lead pikeman on the wrist, causing him to drop his pike. Both groups of attackers turned to find Ace Savvy, One-Eyed Jack and the Full House Gang standing behind them.

"Ah, the famed Full House Gang" the Black Bishop exclaimed softly, "you lot saved us a great deal of toil in tracking you down." "Enough talk, buster; why are you hasslin' these fine people" growled Night Club, "what we do is no business of yours, children" the White Bishop shouted. With a wave of his staff, four pikemen charged towards the family of heroes.

One of them jabbed his spear viciously at Strong Suit. But her great speed and reflexes made it rather difficult for him to land a strike. "Blast you, whelp" the warrior growled, "cease your hopping about and fight me fairly!"

This was all she needed to hear; with a crack of her knuckles and a broad smile, Strong Suit gave the pikeman a quick sweep at the legs. This strike sent the warrior falling onto its back, dropping its weapon.

Ceasing the opportunity, Strong Suit made a grab for the pike. Only to be stopped by four other pikeman, who blocked her way. "This duel is fruitless, younglings" the White Bishop sighed, "against one faction of us, you may be on equal footing."

"But with _both_ our forces against you, _we_ hold the advantage" exclaimed the Black Bishop. With that said, he gave a swing of his staff and the black pikemen began jabbing their weapons at the heroes. Ace and Co. were taken off guard by this surprise attack and could not properly defend themselves against the criminals' maneuvers.

As such, the pikes lightly sliced over the bodies of High Card and Eleven of Hearts; leaving slight yet painful scars. While the younger members became caught in a "net" of steel. "Blast…I can't find a way out!" Card Counter exclaimed bitterly, "neither can we" the two wee twins called out fearfully.

With their enemies momentarily ensnared, the remaining pikemen faced the bishops with a bow. "Shall we finish our work here, Your Excellencies" the lead Black Pikeman asked, "I say we present a message to the townsfolk by having their heads mounted on our pikes" one of the lesser pikemen cackled sinisterly. Everyone murmured/laughed fiendishly in agreement at the idea…but silenced themselves, when the Black Bishop raised his hand.

"Nay…no blood is to be shed her, this day" he decreed, "we have done as our lords commanded and our message has been delivered." Strong Suit gave a wincing chuckle at him, saying that they've already seen their video. "Aye, that piece _was_ part of our message" chuckled the White Bishop, "but that was meant for only _your_ eyes" added the Black Bishop.

"Listen well, all of you" shouted the clergymen in unison, slamming their staves onto the ground. "The destruction brought upon this…hovel is but a taste of what lies ahead" the Black Bishop stated, "in the days to come, more of our court will appear and they shall do the same to all that inspires decadence into thy people." Strong Suit and Royal Flush both clenched their heads in irritation.

"Dudes…if you don't stop using big words I don't understand, I'm gonna snap your staff upside your head" the teenaged brunette growled. Upon hearing this; the bishops gave Strong Suit a glare so fierce and so icy, it even caused the Eight of Spades to quiver in distress. "Impudent little ronyon" the Black Bishop seethed, "speak when spoken to by your betters!"

Before anyone can react, the bishop struck Strong Suit hard across the face with the head of his crosier staff. The blow sent the girl flying into the bar stools, causing a drink the fall upon her head; dousing her with its contents. Ace quickly rushed to her side, checking to see if she was injured.

"It…It's all good, folks; I'm cool" she mumbled groggily, rubbing her head. "Let that blow be a lesson unto thee, child; stand aside and let us attend to our business or thou shalt suffer a fate most egregious" the White Bishop warned. With that, the bishops raised their staves high and signaled for the pikemen.

"Away, Pawns; we must return to the castle with all speed" shouted the Black Bishop, mounting his horse. The pikemen all hurried to their own mounts and seated themselves upon their saddles. Before departing, the bishops faced the defeated heroes one final time.

"Until our next meeting, 'heroes;" we bid thee farewell" the priests said in unison; with that said, the groups spurred their horses and rode off into the distance. Meanwhile, the Full House Gang continued nursing Strong Suit. Who was still recovering from the blows she received.

"Who the heck are those guys" she groaned, "I don't know…but they seem a bit tougher, compared to our usual enemies" One-Eyed Jack murmured. As High Card and Eleven of Hearts began gently carrying their sister to the van, Ace remained behind to speak with . "Ma'am, I'm sorry that your casino was vandalized so viciously" Ace said dejectedly, the woman smiled at him and touched his shoulder reassuringly.

"Broken tables and stools can be rebuilt" she stated, "but _people_ cannot…thanks to you, everyone here is safe; thank you." As a token of gratitude, gave Ace a quick yet strong hug. This caused him to go stiff as a board and almost fall over, unconscious. But Jack quickly rushed over and managed to keep him stable.

"All in a day's work, Ma'am" he stated, "we will find out who these fiends are and stop them." "I just hope there won't be anymore abductions, before then" murmured Luna. With that said, everyone climbed into the van and made their way back home.

(AN: The first move has been made, what will these new enemies have in store for our heroes? Tune in for the next chapter, to find out)

(Second AN: The behavior presented by the four bishops in this chapter is not, in any way, a reflection of any actual clergymen in this world. As they say in the old movies, "any resemblance to actual persons, Living or Dead, is purely coincidental")


	7. Chapter Six: Connections

Connections

There is nothing more humiliating for a hero than going back to base to lick their wounds, both figuratively _and/or_ literally. For the Full House Gang, that was the exact situation they were in. Upon their return home, the Full House Gang was wracked with pain and feelings of humiliation.

The remainder of the day was spent at the base, nursing their physical and psychological wounds. "Hold still, Lynn" Rita insisted, dabbing a sore spot with an antibacterial soaked cotton ball; "I need to do this or the scratch will become infected." After a moment or two of slight hostility; the young athlete, eventually relented and kept still.

But it wasn't the sting of the antibacterial liquid that caused her to be on edge…at least, not the sole cause. While her physical scars were minor, Lynn's emotional scars felt far worse. "I can't believe it" she growled, "we've been defending this city for who knows how long and yet, these newbies arrive and take us all out like we're nobodies!"

The rest of the heroes all murmured in agreement to Lynn's disdain. "Look at what those big meanies did to my dress" Lola screamed in frustration, "next time I see them, I'll…" Lisa quickly placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, calming her. "Normally, I am immune to showing barbaric emotions like rage or frustration" she murmured, "but in this case…"

Upon saying this, the normally stoic genius proceeded to vent her aggressions out on one of Lynn's punching bags. Said venting consisted of the wee genius pummeling the foam-stuffed bag mercilessly to the point where the chain broke off from where it hung. Normally; for most people, this would not be all that strange.

After all; every now and again, everybody needs a moment to let out some steam. But for someone like Lisa; who is often stoic, in control of her temper and often shrugs off any kind of unwanted emotions easily. This display felt rather alarming to her family, who could only watch in stunned silence.

After ripping apart the bag, Lisa stood in place; heaving heavily in frustration. Upon realizing her behavior, she cleared her throat and quickly fixed up her appearance. "Apologies, family…I did not know what came over me" she murmured softly, "we completely understand, Lis" Luna sighed.

"Yeah…That battle was so embarrassing, I can't even joke about it" Luan said bluntly. "The important thing here, everyone is that you're all okay" Lynn Sr. said in a reassuring tone, "that's what matters…right?" Spade sighed in defeat and said that while it _was_ fortunate that they survived the battle and no one at the casino was hurt.

There was still much property damage left behind and those responsible were still at large. "Yes…that's true but you should see what's on the news right now" Rita stated. Before anyone could speak up, the matriarch of the family turned up the volume and turned everyone's attention towards the TV.

On screen; they saw the Ace in the Hole Casino, still bearing property damage and a reporter standing outside. "This is Katherine Mulligan reporting live from Great Lakes City. Where, just earlier today, a surprise attack occurred here at the Ace in the Hole" she began. The sight of this woman caused Lisa to growl venomously; something Spade had seen quite frequently, in the past.

Being a child prodigy was often both a blessing and a curse. Two things Lisa, many times, had said do not actually exist. More to the point; being a genius at such a young age created much buzz with the public and caught the attention of many news people. Among them was Ms. Mulligan, a woman who was known for being rather sneaky and willing to do whatever it took to "get a good story."

She was the one reporter who annoyed Lisa and her family the most. She would always ask her if she was committing acts against nature, creating any kind of dangerous machines or attempting to use her science to overthrow public authority. To which, Lisa would bluntly deny all comment; naturally.

But it didn't stop Mulligan from coming up with something to put her up front and this looked like one of those times. "I'm here with the owner of this establishment, Ms. Gabriella DiMartino. Who has told me that this was the second attack that happened to her casino" she stated.

The Loud Sisters all growled under their collective breaths; swearing they'd lose it, if Mulligan pinned the incident on them. As the report continued, Ms. DiMartino recounted the events of the attack as best as she could; for she was still quite frazzled from it. "After the attack made by Don Soriano not long ago, I felt we were safe" she murmured, "then…these ruffians dressed in medieval attire arrived and claimed we were 'conducting sinful business' here."

Mulligan raised an eyebrow and made a quip about how casinos have been known to bring…unsavory people there. "With all due respect, Ms. Mulligan; we conduct a descent business here" Ms. DiMartino retorted. "We may practice gambling here but the Ace in the Hole is also a family friendly environment!"

Several of her workers called out from behind, proclaiming how the children of their older patrons would enjoy the magic shows that played on stage. "If your business is as 'family friendly' as you claim, ma'am; then, why would your assailants claim you are all being sinful?" Mulligan asked slyly. Spade and Jackson seethed softly with rage, as the reporter continued insulting Ms. DiMartino.

"How _dare_ that sleazeball Mulligan speak to her like that" Spade growled, "these reporters have some nerve talking like this." "You're just saying that 'cause you're crushin' on her, dude" Luna chuckled, causing the others to giggle as well. "I'm inclined to agree with Spade, girls" Rita chimed in, "some people just don't care about common decency anymore.

As the report went on, Mulligan continued in berating Ms. DiMartino with offensive questions or insults. "Perhaps, it is better that your business remains closed" Mulligan suggested, "it will keep you all safe…and the money in the peoples' pockets." Just as prepared to lash out at the reporter, a soft voice suddenly caught everyone's attention.

"Here, now; let us all keep our heads, everyone" the voice said calmly, this caused everyone to look behind them in curiosity. As Mulligan's cameraman turned around, the Louds' TV set soon showed a limousine parked by the curb. It was a beautiful Rolls Royce painted blue with gold roof and gold-plated hubcaps on the tires.

At the front, everyone could see a silver crown hood ornament glimmering in the light. Everyone then noticed a window was open and began to wonder who was inside. Suddenly, the front door of the vehicle opened and a chauffeur made his way to the rear.

"Hey, does that guy look familiar to anyone" questioned Lana, everyone took a close look to see what she was talking about. Upon getting a clear view, Lori let out a gasp of shock. "BOO-BOO BEAR" she cried, "what's he doing there…not that I don't mind the new look."

After taking a brief moment to ogle Bobby in his formal attire, Lori's previous shock returned full swing. "Why is he some guy's driver, what about his job at the bodega?" she asked, "you heard what his grandmother said, business has been slow" Spade replied. Lori grumbled softly in response before saying he still should've told her about this.

As Bobby opened the passenger door of the limo; everyone, even Mulligan, gasped in shock. For out of the vehicle was a regal looking man dressed in a fine blue velvet tuxedo, blue dress shoes, white gloves upon his hands and a silver and gold stripped tie. The man appeared to be in his late-30's, had long black hair that reached below his shoulders, a strong, pointed jaw line and a ducktail-style beard on his face.

Upon seeing this man, Lisa let out a gasp of both shock and delight. "Honey, what's wrong" questioned Lynn Sr., "you look like you've seen a ghost." Lisa quickly recovered to tell her father he should know how she never believed in such things, only Spade seemed interested in them.

"I'm elated because…well; surely, you all _must_ know who that man is" questioned the prodigy. Leni focused on the man's face very intently, for a moment or two and suddenly let out a gasp. "I KNOW…he's Santa, right" she asked eagerly, to which her family simply sighed in defeat.

"No, my dear Sister" groaned Lisa, " _that_ is Lord Reginald Barnum, an illustrious historian and archeologist from the United Kingdom!" This revelation caused the family to look at her oddly. "Wait…I thought you were only into science and whatnot" questioned Lynn, "this is true…but I still find room in my brain for _other_ intellectual pursuits as well." Lisa replied.

"So, what brings him down this neck of the woods" Jack pondered, curious about the man's intentions. His questions were soon, answered, as the reporters quickly approached the nobleman. "Your…Your Lordship, this is…I cannot even think of the right words" stammered Mulligan giddily, "what brings you into our humble town?"

Lord Reginald faced the camera and informed all watching how he wished to assist Ms. DiMartino. "I overheard the unfortunate news of the first attack on your business and decided it was my duty to aid you" he stated. The young lady felt humbled by his gesture but asked him why a man of his caliber would want to help her kind of business.

"My family comes from a long line of heroes" he began, "from the knights of old to the men at arms of our present age, we swear to aid all in need." He then went on to say how the repair process would take many days to complete. But the lord assured Ms. DiMartino that she and her workers could work for him, until then.

Several of the Loud Sisters murmured approvingly at how gallant the man was. But Spade, Jackson and the rest of the girls were not so easily swayed. "There's something oddly fishy about this, guys" Lori murmured, "isn't it convenient how he just _happened_ to show up, just after the deed was done?"

Lynn gave a chuckle and claimed she was just speaking out of jealousy. "You're just buggin' that Bobby didn't tell you about his sweet new job yet" she stated. This comment resulted in the two siblings getting into an argument, a rather heated one at that.

Not wishing to get caught in the crossfire, everyone went to their respective spaces to recuperate in private and silence. Several hours passed and the atmosphere felt quiet…a little too quiet. They cautiously made their way into the common room to find Lynn soothing what appeared to be a distressed Lori.

"It's okay, Sis" the jock murmured sympathetically, "just think of all the fancy dates you two will go on, now that Bobby's a limo driver." "I know that…but why didn't he call, not just me but his family too" Lori sighed. Everyone murmured softly in agreement, upon remembering how distressed Ms. Casagrande seemed when she called Lori.

"Maybe he's too busy to chat as much as he did with you before, brah" Luna guessed, to which her elder sister began to think she was right. At that moment, the house's clock began to chime loudly; signaling the hour of 5 o'clock. Upon seeing this, Luna gasped and rushed to her room.

"Luna, no running in the house" Rita called out, "I know, Mom…but I gotta hurry or I'll be late for work" Luna shouted back. Not five minutes later, Luna came rushing out the door with her gear in hand. Moments later, down at the club; Luna was setting up her gear up on the stage.

As she was tuning up her guitar, Luna suddenly felt an icy chill surge through her; which caused her to jump. Upon recovering, she turned to find Sam sitting beside her with two sodas in her hands. "Sorry for spookin' ya, Lunes" she chuckled, Luna gave a soft chuckle and assured Sam she was fine.

"You thirsty, got a couple of nice root beers from the bar for us" Sam offered, to which Luna agreed to without a second thought. With that, the two popped open their bottles and each took a swig; letting out satisfied sighs of contentment every now and then. "You sure you're okay to play, girl" questioned Sam, "you look a little rundown."

Luna blinked in confusion and then quickly gazed at herself, noticing the slight tears in her clothes and her frizzy hair. "Oh…this, sorry; family got a little crazy earlier and I got caught up in it" she chuckled softly, Sam gave a little laugh as well. "With a family as big as yours, I imagine a fight for the shower must be like WWII for you guys" she stated.

"That's just _one_ of the types of fights we get in" Luna retorted playfully, toasting her bottle against Sam's. The next few minutes for the girls were spent in sharing stories with one another. They would chat about life, their talents or just random stuff they liked.

Eventually, the stagehand gestured for Sam to come up on stage. "Guess it's showtime for me" she chuckled, placing her drink on the table. Once on stage, Sam gestured at the band behind her and everyone began to let loose a roaring rock ballad.

The music felt so good, Luna couldn't help but give out a mad rock pose. "KICK IT, SAMMY" she roared, to which the girl in question simply gave her a wink. Eventually, both ladies performed their routines and closing time soon came around.

After receiving their pay from Mr. Macarthur, the duo left the club with a joyous laugh. "WOOO! We _kicked it_ up there" Luna roared, "darn right we did and we got the green to prove it" Sam added, playfully flashing her share of the night's pay. After that, the two ladies high-fived and congratulated each other.

Then, just as quick as it came; their joyful moods began to fade. "Well…guess I'll see ya tomorrow" Luna murmured, trudging off sadly. Sam, meanwhile could only watch as her fellow rocker and newfound friend began to slip away.

Just then, an idea began to form in the teen's mind. "Hey, Lunes" she called out, "you booked tomorrow morning at all?" Luna was about to answer but stopped herself.

She came dangerously close to revealing her…second job to Sam. "Nah, I got nothin' big planned" she murmured, then proceeded to ask Sam why she was so curious. "I was thinkin' maybe…tomorrow, I could come to your place or you'd come to _mine_ and we could rehearse together until the club opens again" she offered.

At first, Luna felt like refusing; for she and her family still needed to catch the odd team of crooks they met before. But she didn't want to rouse too much suspicion and so, she agreed to her request. "Sweet…you still got my address, right" questioned Sam, "hasn't left my case for even a nanosecond, love" Luna replied in a cockney accent.

"Okay, then; I'll see ya tomorrow" she shouted, before heading down her path. Luna simply stood there, after that; blissfully waving at the empty distance. Even when her older sister, once again blared the van's horn; she remained unfazed.

"Whoa…what's goin' on with her" questioned Lana, "she's giving the same puppy-dog look Lori gets when Bobby's around" Lynn added. Ignoring the comment, the elder Loud Sister asked Spade to help Luna into the van. Once Luna came inside, everyone could clearly see the awestruck look on Luna's face.

"Whoa…what happened to you" questioned Lola, "you look like Leni when she's seen a new dress on display." Luna did not respond, for she was too far up on Cloud 9 to hear anyone. Realizing it would be fruitless to talk to her further, Lori turned on the ignition and drove on home.  
During the way back, Luna gazed at the stars; thinking of the events that have transpired moments ago. Wondering just what the future held for her and Sam?

(AN: Oh, dear…methinks Luna's got herself a crush! Bully for her, I say; but the real question is…how will the family react, when they find out? Find out next time in the next chapter)

(Second AN: Katherine Mulligan is another character from the show, for those unaware. According to the Wiki; she is described as sneaky and doesn't show any sympathy for those she interviews, regardless of any embarrassing situations they might be in. Since she's only been seen in a handful of episodes. I based her personality on a combination of Jack Ryder from Batman and Leslie Willis (alias Livewire) from the DC Animated Universe.

All three characters seem to share similar traits of sneaky behavior and a lack of decency towards others to get the "big scoop.")


	8. Chapter Seven: Conflicting Situations

Conflicting Situations

Upon arriving home, Luna seemed to float into the complex; as if she was weightless. Both Lynn Sr. and Rita gawked in confusion at their third eldest daughter. "Uh…anybody care to explain this to us" Lynn Sr. asked confusedly, "you should be asking Luna that question, Daddy; because we're just as clueless as you" Lola replied.

The parents agreed with the idea and proceeded to ask Luna if she was okay. To which she simply gave them a blissful nod and murmured "everything's groovy, dudes." Being the ever-inquisitive one she was; Lisa decided to "run some tests," to determine if the young lady was well.

Everyone thought about protesting against the idea. But they soon realized it might've been for the best and gave Lisa permission to do her work. It has only been mere seconds later, when the halls suddenly echoed with a loud shriek of distress.

Everyone soon learned that it was coming from Lisa's room. Upon reaching the door; Luna came bursting through, screaming like a madwoman. Lisa followed after, holding what looked like a syringe.

"Show some vertebra, Sister; I just need a small blood sample to test on" she groaned. "NO WAY, DUDE" cried Luna, "you'll just drain me dry like one of Lucy's vampire crushes!" The aforementioned sister hissed softly like a vampire and proceeded to cover the ears of a small bust of a TV character she admired named Edwin.

"Don't listen to her, she's just scared" she murmured monotonously, "I can assure you, it will feel like nothing but a small pinch" Lisa assured with an exasperated sigh. This did not soothe Luna's terrified state even the slightest. "Why do you even _need_ my blood, dudette?" she cried desperately, to which everyone said they only wanted to make certain she wasn't sick.

"But if you're not sick; why have you been acting weird, Luna?" questioned Leni, "yeah…you've been floating around, sighing and been sporting this…weird look on your face since we got back home" added Lynn. Upon hearing all the evidence presented, such as it was; Luna let out a laugh.

"Dudes, believe me; everything is totally chill with Luna Loud" she stated but her family remained undeterred. "Honey…don't you lie to us" she said firmly, "I've seen the exact kind of behavior from Lori, after she and Bobby first met." Upon saying this, everything became perfectly clear to the girls.

"Wait…the giddiness, the floating on air, the sighing" Leni began listing out, "why didn't we see it before!" Sensing what was to come, Luna took several slow steps backwards. "Girls…I think our Luna... _HAS A CRUSH!"_ Leni screamed with joy.

Upon saying this; all the remaining Loud Sisters, young and old proceeded to squeal/shriek/scream loudly with joy. The parents (mostly Lynn Sr.) only cried with joy, once they heard the revelation. "I can't believe it" murmured Rita happily, "my Luna has a crush on someone…they grow up so fast!"

Feeling both embarrassed and flustered, Luna stomped her boot down and told everyone to stop. "Don't go freakin' out, you guys" she exclaimed, "you don't even know the whole story." This would be a statement she would immediately come to regret. Without hesitation, the other girls gathered their chairs and surrounded Luna in a semicircle. "Uh…dudes, what are you doing" murmured Luna uncomfortably, "you said so yourself, 'we don't know the whole story'" Lori stated. "So…give us the 411; a name, hobbies, perks…and did you get to first base yet?" Lynn asked all at once.

Upon hearing the "first base" question, Lori quickly pulled her sister back. "I think what Lynn _meant_ to ask was…what can you tell us about your crush, starting with a name" Lori said with a smile. Luna only gave a shake of her head and proceeded to head towards her room.

This caused the girls earlier jubilant behavior to fade slightly. "Do you see what you girls did" Spade scolded, "she obviously, didn't feel comfortable talking about this and you all just kept pushing her" Jackson added. They ended their reprimand with a simple "you should be ashamed" and scowled at them.

This unfortunately, did not cause the situation to get better. With an angry growl, Lynn got up from her seat and jab a finger at Spade. "You stay out of this pal" she growled, "this is a family matter and last time I checked, you ain't family!" "Yeah, you're just some bum of a vigilante that our parents took pity on and decided to let you bunk with us" added Lola cruelly.

There was a collective gasp from some of the older siblings. For they were truly shocked by what they said, even Lucy was appalled and very little fazed her. After hearing this; Spade, with angry tears in his eyes, turned on his heels and went off to Luna's room; Jackson followed after him a moment later.

For what felt like ages, no one in the hall dared speak a word. But while nothing was spoken verbally, the expressions on everyone's faces spoke volumes. Lynn Jr. and Lola had looks of utter horror upon their faces, the remaining seven sisters glared at the duo with much intensity while their parents simply shook their heads in shame.

"If this city didn't rely so heavily on you girls to protect it, all of you here would be grounded for the next six months!" roared Lynn Sr. The tone in their father's voice rocked the young ladies to their very cores. After that; all, once again, remained deathly silent for several moments.

Then, with a soft sigh; Rita finally spoke up by assuring how what Lynn and Lola said was definitely uncalled for. "That being said, I think we're all just on edge by what's been going on lately" she stated. Everyone nodded and murmured in agreement, still feeling the effects of their encounter with the mysterious criminals.

"However, that still doesn't excuse any of your earlier behavior" Rita said firmly, "egging on Luna was bad enough…but what you said to Spade was uncalled for." The girls all hung their heads in shame, agreeing that they _were_ acting rather inappropriately before. "What should we do, then" questioned Luan, "should we all go apologize?"

Both parents shook their heads "no," saying now wasn't a good time to talk to them. "Give Spade and Luna an hour; _then_ , go into her room and apologize" instructed Lynn Sr. and the girls murmured in agreement. The parents' anger now spent, they headed off to the common room to watch some television.

Meanwhile; down the hall, Spade and Jackson sat beside Luna on both ends of her bed. Doing everything they could to help calm her down. "Don't take it so hard, Luna" Spade said soothingly, "it's natural for sisters to be curious." Luna sighed and said she understood that; even admitting to behaving just as they did, in other situations.

"The truth is; I'm more concerned for _you_ , dude" Luna murmured, "what they said to you was totally uncool." Spade smiled slightly and assured her he didn't take it too hard. "Admittedly, I _did_ speak out of turn" he confessed with a soft chuckle, "so…part of that was my fault." Luna gave a little laugh of her own, upon hearing this.

She was amazed how much he cared about _her_ well-being than his own. Before the young detective could react, Luna scooped him up in a loving hug and gave him a kiss on the cheek in thanks. "Nuts to what the fam says; to me, you _are_ part of this family and I love ya" she said warmly.

Spade gave a chuckle and hugged her back, returning Luna's love. With the situation now more pleasant, Jackson decided to speak up. "So…sorry if I'm oversteppin' my limits here" he began, "but can you tell us _now_ about your crush?"

At first, Luna felt the urge to shoot down his request; just as she did the others. But seeing as how it was only the three of them, she decided to let it out. "Sam" murmured Luna and she did not say anything else after.

Being a detective and the son of one, Spade couldn't help but feel anxious for more. "I can guess that's the crush's name…but can you tell us anything else?" he asked. "All I can tell you is that we both have a few things in common, like our love of rock and we both work at the same club together.

"Is that really it" Jackson muttered, "I mean…I don't wish to pry…but it seems like you don't know this person at all." Luna gave a soft sigh and admitted that Jack was right. "Okay…I don't know Sam _that_ well yet" she admitted, "but I hope I will, eventually…maybe tomorrow."

The boys looked at her both in curiosity and anxiousness. "Why, what's happening tomorrow" asked Jack, "making plans for your next show, I'll bet" Spade surmised. Luna gave a chuckle and said Spade was…half right. "I'm gonna go practice at Sam's place tomorrow, before work" she stated, "so…I may end up missing training that day."

At that moment, Luna's door suddenly slid open and Lisa was standing on the other side. The trio looked at her with disgruntled gazes, not sure if they should welcome her in. "Look, lil' dudette; I'm just gettin' back into the spirit again" Luna sighed, "so, I'm not really in the mood for anymore shenanigans."

Lisa held up her hands in defense and assured her elder sister that she came in peace. "I merely wish to exchange two things with the three of you" she said softly with some despair in her tone. The trio looked at one another, as if in some sort of psychic discussion and gave Lisa a nod.

"First and foremost, I speak for all our other sisters when I say I…apologize" she sighed. Luna's firm expression softened slightly and she beckoned Lisa to continue. "What we did was wrong, we simply got caught up in the excitement of another one of our siblings gaining a love interest and…failed to realize we may have been overwhelming you" she explained.

Luna gave a soft nod of approval, signaling that the apology did feel genuine to her. "I also wish to apologize for what Lynn and Lola said to _you_ , Spade" Lisa murmured, "what they said was uncalled for, you did not deserve to hear that." "No, _I_ am sorry for speaking out of turn" the young man sighed, "what happened wasn't completely their fault.

With all the apologies having been said, everyone shared a brief yet warm hug of forgiveness. Upon pulling away, Spade asked what the second thing Lisa wanted to speak about was. "Ah, yes…" before speaking, Lisa took a moment to clean off her glasses. Once done, she placed them back on her head and faced Luna.

"I first wish to offer my congratulations on finding someone who could very well be worthy of being your significant other, Sister" she began. Upon seeing the "derp" expression on Luna's face, Lisa "simplified" her statement by saying "congratulations on finding a crush." Luna smiled softly at her sister, thanking her for her kind words.

"That being said, however; I must ask…does this "Sam" know of your heroic "hobbies," shall we say" questioned Lisa, to which Luna answered with a shake of her head. "All due respect, Lis; what does that have to do with anything?" Spade asked, confused. "All I am saying is if Sam is unaware of her activities. Villains could use this to their advantage, utilizing her love as a means to defeat her" Lisa stated.

Despite the slightly harsh tone in her words, Luna couldn't help but agree. "The thing is, dudes…I'm not even sure if this _is_ love I'm feelin' here" she said dejectedly, "anytime I try to say somethin', I choke!" After that, Luna threw herself back on her bed and clutched a pillow to her face; wailing into it in anger.

Once the screams subsided, Jackson took a leap of faith and offered Luna a piece of advice. "My nana once told me that telling someone you like them is like jumping into a cold pool. Take in a deep breath and take the plunge" he stated. Luna sat there in silence, taking in Jack's advice.

The next day, Luna walked along the sidewalk until she reached what looked like the address number on her paper. The house she saw was split level, had a wide yard, two cars in a nearby garage, a swinging bench out on the front porch and a small flower garden by the porch steps. _"This is Sam's place, huh"_ Luna thought, _"I like it, it's…what's the words Lis would use, 'charmingly rustic.'"_

As Luna approached the front door, a nervous lump began to fill her throat. Soon, her earlier discussion with Lisa began to replay in her head. If one of hers or the family's enemies _did_ find out about their crushes, what would they do to them?

She recalled how Bobby was said to be absent from home for long periods. But then remembered the job he got as a limo driver for that rich lord. So, there didn't seem to be any danger there.

But Luna then began to fear for her other sisters' crushes. If they or Sam found out about their secret lives, what would they think, what would happen to them after the fact and how would the baddies use this to their advantage? As these thoughts filled her head, Luna failed to realize she had reached the front door already. With a nervous yelp, she reached for the knocker and tapped it lightly against the surface.

At first, all seemed too quiet…a little too much so for Luna's liking. After growing up in a house full of ten other siblings; a quiet situation would, sometimes spell disaster. Then Luna suddenly heard the rushing sounds of footfalls coming from inside the house.

She took hold of her guitar and held it defensively, expecting an attack. Then, as the door swung open; she got just that…in a way. Before Luna could react, she was suddenly pushed back by a large rottweiler.

After taking a moment to recover, Luna then gazed into the face of the large dog. "Uh…nice pupster, I ain't gonna hurt ya" she chuckled while giving a nervous wave. The dog growled at her softly and gave a quick bark, startling her.

This bark was all that was needed to attract the people inside. For within moments, a young man came running up to the dog and gripped it by the collar. "Stay back, Axel" the boy commanded, "this girl is a guest…I think and we don't attack guests."

As the boy began pulling back the dog, a couple soon came to the door and helped Luna up. "So sorry about that, Missy" the man murmured, "Axel always gets like that, whenever someone's at the door." Luna gave a soft yet hearty chuckle, telling him she had similar incidents with _her_ dog.

"But I think your pup has the size advantage against mine" she added, to which the couple gave out a soft laugh. With the situation having been calmed slightly, Luna then asked if this was the home of Sam Sharp. "Yes, she's our daughter and Simon's sister" the wife stated, then gestured for Luna to come in.

"We're her parents; I'm Sam's mother, Paula and this is my husband" she said while gesturing at herself and the man beside her. Said man approached Luna and gave her a firm welcoming handshake. "Name's Steven, a pleasure to meet ya Miss…uh…" Upon realizing the situation, the young rocker introduced herself.

"Sorry…name's Luna Loud, your daughter and I work at the same club" she explained, greeting everyone with a nod. Upon hearing her name, Simon beamed with joy. "So, _you're_ the infamous mad rocker my sister talks about" he boasted.

Luna was taken aback by this revelation, for Sam hadn't told her she had siblings. After the introductions were said, Paula led Luna into the house. "If you're looking for Sam, she may be in her room" Paula stated.

After that; there came the sounds of a door opening, followed by footsteps. "I heard Axel barking, is something wrong" a voice said, approaching the kitchen. "No, honey; he just got a bit excited, after he heard the knocking" Steven called out.

Soon; Sam arrived and smiled with glee, upon seeing Luna. "Hey, girl; welcome to my crib" she exclaimed happily, greeted Luna with a friendly hug. This gesture caused her to go slightly stiff but she didn't know why.

"Uh…no prob" she mumbled, "sorry about earlier, the dog kinda spooked me a little." Sam nodded in understanding and wagged her finger in mock disapproval at Axel. "Naughty boy, what did we say about acting scary when people come?" she said scolding tone. The dog whimpered slightly and hung its head in shame.

"Axel here is a good watchdog but seems to bark at anyone who passes by or knocks" Sam explained. "Even the mailman often feels too scared to stop by here, at times" Simon added, petting Axel lightly. Luna gave a chuckle and a quick thumbs up, "it's all good, I'll bet he's actually a big sweetie" she said while reaching up to Axel.

At first, the rottweiler grew rather defensive of her gesture. But once Luna began stroking him, Axel's mood quickly changed from anger to delight. Upon stopping, he gave Luna's hand a quick lick; as a sign of affection.

"See, I knew he was cool" Luna assured, the family was quite pleased by Luna's carefree attitude and happily congratulated her on earning their pet's trust. "Okay, guys; my and Luna are gonna practice in my room" Sam called out while walking down the hall. "Have fun you two…and Sam; at least, _try_ not to turn up your amps too high again" Paula said with a giggle.

"Yeah, Sis; we don't want a repeat of last month's town-wide power outage" Simon added, earning a raspberry from his sister. Upon entering the bedroom, Luna and Sam began spreading out their gear. "That was _you_ that caused the blackout" Luna exclaimed in disbelief, which caused Sam to chuckle nervously.

"Yeah…I turned up my amp so loud, the town went black after I played just _one_ riff." At first, Sam expected Luna to be upset; mainly because the outage caused a lot of people to be unhappy. But instead, she suddenly heard her laughing.

"Brah, don't worry about it" she assured, "I've done more than my own share of outages too." The duo then chuckled happily at one another and then took out their guitars. Once tuned up proper, they began to rock out with a soft ballad.

In the following weeks after that visit, the girls were nigh inseparable. Whenever there were moments where they'd have downtime; whether it was between shows or after school. It was spent in either practicing or sharing stories about each other's lives.

Luna would tell stories about the stuff she and her sibs would do together. To which Sam would simply chuckle and applaud Luna for being able to keep stable around them. "You're lucky, you just have _one_ sibling to handle; I have ten" Luna stated with a playfully exasperated groan.

"Trust me, Luns; one sibling can be chaotic enough" Sam chuckled. Nowadays; whenever Luna came to work, she and Sam would simply chat or play together. Before those weekend days; Luna would meet Sam, after school to rehearse or just jam for the fun of it.

Eventually, she began to feel a strong bond with her fellow rocker. Sure; back home, she was able to still be herself (as were the others.) But nobody was as passionate for music, rock or otherwise, as she was.

It wasn't just Sam's love for rock that she loved, however. Luna was utterly captivated by everything about her. Her outgoing personality, the way she sang and how she always performed on stage with absolutely zero fear.

To Luna, it was like she was looking at a true kindred spirit. But once these thoughts came into being, Luna began to feel strangely. Whenever Sam would walk by or enter the room, her body would turn against her (as Luna would call it.)

Her legs would feel like jelly, her heart would beat like a mad drum solo, her breathing would become frantic and her palms would sweat so much, her wristbands would get sopping wet. One night, while in bed; her body would _again_ feel these sensations and it made it difficult to sleep. After failing to chill out in her bed, Luna decided to get a drink.

She entered the bathroom and began drinking several cups of water. But they did little to ease her frantic nerves. "What's goin' on here" she murmured to herself, "why am I acting so weird all the sudden?"

Having finished up in the bathroom, Luna made her way back to bed. But once she took a seat on the mattress, Luna spotted something. On the nightstand, she spotted her cell phone; which wasn't really _that_ out of the ordinary.

But it was the image on the main screen that truly caught her attention. Said image was of Luna and Sam, performing a sort of group selfie with their arms around each other's shoulders. Luna took the phone and gazed at the image with a blissful grin; remembering the day fondly.

Flashback to two weeks earlier

 _The two girls had just come back from another successful work night at the club and decided to celebrate at Sam's place. While in Sam's room, Luna was sampling some freshly baked hushpuppies Paula made. "Man, Sam; here I thought my dad made rockin' food" she boasted with her mouth full._

 _"Thanks, Mom always likes making me some congratulatory snacks; after I've done a successful job at something" Sam stated. After biting into another hushpuppy, Luna complimented on how awesome her family was. "Thanks, they can be pretty cool…sometimes" Sam murmured, her head hanging low._

 _Luna could sense the distress in her friend's voice and asked if something was wrong? "It's nothing…just that my folks think I should consider another job opportunity someplace" Sam sighed. "No way, are they tryin' to get you off of rock…that's not cool" Luna cried out in disapproval, to which Sam quickly assured her otherwise._

 _"Nah, it's not like that" she said, holding up her hands defensively. "My dad is why I got into rock in the first place, truthfully." She then showed him a picture of someone on her desk. "Back in the 70's, my dad was a part-time roadie for a college band" Sam began, "he always loved listening to them play on stage and wished he could be a rocker like them."_

 _She then went on to explain how the band leader eventually, learned of Steven's love of music and offered to teach him the ropes. Shocked yet honored, he agreed and Steven began practicing with the band, when they were doing jam sessions. Luna was intrigued by the story and asked if he ever became a professional._

 _"Well, yeah…he_ did _get the chance to perform with the band" she replied, "but he only did it for two shows." Sam then went on to say that the band leader offered her dad to join the group. At first, he felt like saying yes without so much as a second thought._

 _But then, one of the band members revealed that they would be going on a nationwide tour soon. This, to Steven, meant that he would end up leaving home and everyone he knew behind for who knows how long. "In the end, he chose not to go" Sam sighed with a smile, "he loved this town and my mom far too much to leave it so soon."_

 _Luna couldn't help but tear up at the story, "dude…that is so deep" Luna said with a straining voice. Sam giggled heartily at Luna's sentimental attitude and offered her a tissue. "In time, I was born and when I got old enough; Dad decided to pass on his own rock knowledge to me" Sam explained._

 _She then added, however that she would also need something else to help support her. "He says rockers don't always get hired to do stuff that often…and unfortunately, he's right" Sam stated. "I'm guessin' that's why you work at the club these days" questioned Luna, Sam nodded in response._

 _"That way, I can still do what I love and earn a decent wage; know what I mean" she stated. Luna gave her a nod, followed by the "devil horns" rock pose; declaring "rockers 4 life!" Sam chuckled and mimicked her gesture with gusto._

 _"Hey, ya know what" she asked suddenly, "this feels like a great photo op moment." Luna chuckled in agreement, took out her cellphone and turned on the camera. "On 3; stick out your tongue, Gene Simmons style and say 'OI'" she instructed, positioning her phone just right._

 _Upon saying the aforementioned rocker term, Luna pressed the button and the photo was recorded; solidifying the perfect moment from a perfect day._

Back to Reality

As images of that memory began flooding through her head, Luna's earlier symptoms came back to her as well. In time, she finally understood the reason behind it all and it both shocked and confused her. _"Oh, man"_ she murmured, _"I think…I think I'm falling for Sam!"_

(AN: Oh, my…looks like ol' Cupid struck another unsuspecting soul with his arrows. But how will these newfound feelings affect Luna's superhero life? How will the family react, when they hear about it and will these new villains attempt to use Luna's feelings as a weapon against her, as Lisa suggests?

Tune in next time, to find out)

(Second AN: The line where Sam says "one sibling's chaotic enough" comes from a Loud House comic...whose name escapes me, at the moment. Also, I wish to make a response to one of my reviewers. In answer to your questions and/or concerns presented in your review, permit me to answer in the following order.

1\. The names Spade Nifty and Jackson Keane are not characters of my own making. If you were to look up Ace Savvy on the Loud House Wikia, you will see that those are the secret identities of Ace Savvy and One-Eyed Jack (sorry for any unintended confusion there.)

2\. If you look at the earlier chapter, An Unexpected Encounter. You will see how Ace and Jack came to meet the Loud Family and began to work alongside them, as well as live with them.

3\. While it may seem like the earlier character of Lord Reginald may be the bad guy in disguise. One must remember the golden rule of mystery tales. Sometimes, the culprit isn't always the most obvious one.

Trust me; soon enough, the _real_ plot twists will appear. All the same, thank you for your feedback and I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the story)


	9. Chapter Eight: The Knights' March

The Knights' March

The following morning, after freshening up; all the siblings, Spade and Jack headed down to the kitchen for breakfast. Along the way; everyone could see Luna sporting a wide-faced grin, yet again. "She must've been having a sweet dream about her sweetie" Luan jested, to which everyone (sans Luna) groaned softly at her unnecessary pun.

As the sisters all entered the kitchen and took their seats for breakfast, Spade noticed that the parents were not present. He did not need to look very far, however; as he soon spotted Rita and Lynn Sr. sitting in the common room. Spade then heard the soft murmurs of someone talking on TV.

"Everything okay in there, guys" he asked with concern but neither of them spoke. Upon sensing this, wee little Lily began making gestures at her parents; as if wishing to approach them. Lori took notice of this, plucked her off the high chair and approached the parents.

"Morning, guys…everything okay" she asked worriedly, "have a look at the TV and see for yourself" Lynn Sr. replied. Lori blinked in confusion and turned towards the screen. What she saw made her heart skip a beat.

"Guys, hold up on the b-fast" she called out, to which the young twins both groaned with irritation. "Lori, you know how antsy I get when I don't my morning nutrition" Lola shrieked. Lori rolled her eyes and told her it could wait for just a minute, "this is literally, too important to miss" she shouted softly.

At first, everyone felt like openly protesting their elder sibling. But something about the distressed tone in her voice changed their minds almost immediately. Reluctantly, they left their seats at the table and headed towards the couch.

There; they saw Katherine Mulligan, yet again, making a news report. Upon seeing where she was at, both Luna and her father's hung agape in horror. "I'm here live at the Bangers & Mosh British Eatery and Rock Venue. Where, just last night; it was subjected to severe acts of vandalism" Mulligan began.

The color from both Luna and her parents' faces drained in an instant. The establishment was not only one of Luna's favorite places to hang. But for her parents, it was a place of great sentimental value to them.

For it was there that they shared their first date so many years ago. In moments; Luna began clenching her fists so tightly, her knuckles turned white. "This has those medieval dudes' fingerprints all over them, I tell ya" she growled, her siblings all murmured in agreement.

"As you can see behind me; much like the incident at the Ace in the Hole, these strange attackers swiftly laid waste to this establishment." To say that the Louds and Spade were horrified by this news would be a gross understatement. "This, unfortunately was but one of several _dozen_ locations that have been attacked in the span of eight hours" Mulligan stated.

This revelation shocked everyone, how could anyone manage to cause such destruction in such a short timeframe. The screen then began showing a slideshow of sorts, one showing several other places that were ransacked. Many of these places were establishments that the Loud Sisters held very near and dear to them.

Among them were the Chortle Portal Comedy Club, the Royal Woods Arena, the Karaoke-Dokie, Gus' Games & Grub and others. The next set of images was of peoples' homes. Then, the camera wiped to one of these aforementioned homes; one belonging to a man named Bud Grouse. "Eyewitnesses say they saw groups of knights found at several sections of Royal Woods, attacking several businesses and people along the way" Mulligan murmured, truly horrified.

The screen then cut to Mr. Grouse, who appeared utterly terrified with tears in his eyes. "I was…I was just inside, watching my stories; when I heard these loud shouts outside my window" he explained with tears in his eyes. "At first, I thought it was the neighbor kids acting up; so…I stuck my head out and shouted at 'em."

Before he could continue, Mr. Grouse suddenly burst into tears. Mulligan placed a hand on the old man's shoulder and did her best to console him. "Easy does it, Sir" she hushed soothingly, which caused Lisa to scoff bitterly. "That arrogant witch isn't fooling anyone with her hackneyed performance" she grumbled.

While they shared in her disdain, the rest of the family softly demanded for Lisa to remain quiet; as the report continued. After taking a moment to calm himself, Mr. Grouse then began to explain what happened to his home. "After I spotted one of those scalawags, I told him to leave the block or I would call the cops" he choked out.

Before either of them could continue; Mulligan held her hand over her ear, listening to her microphone intently. "Hold on…I'm just receiving word that the newsroom has received on-sight camera footage from a neighbor, who was present near the scene" she explained. "We're gonna take a moment to play it back for you, the viewer to see. Warning; what you're about to see is shocking, mildly disturbing and not for the faint of heart."

With that said, the camera then cut to a video clip being played. When it began to play, everyone gasped in alarm. Outside of Grouse's home, there stood a team of what appeared to be white knights on horseback.

In the video, Grouse was seen shouting at the group; threatening to inform the police that they were disturbing the peace. Despite his warnings, the warriors refused to disperse. Infuriated, Grouse began dialing 9-1-1; only for his phone to be shot out of his hand suddenly by an arrow.

The Loud Sisters then saw one of them move forward and point his sword at Grouse. _"We give you one chance, old one"_ the leader stated on the television, _"apologize for interfering in our business or face the consequences."_ Grouse held his ground, despite their numbers and told them he wasn't afraid of "a bunch of ren faire rejects."

The leader gave a sigh and raised his sword high. Before anyone could react, the knight then gave it a wave and his team unleashed a volley of flaming arrows at Mr. Grouse's house. With a fearful yelp, he leapt to the side; dodging the oncoming arrows.

The sight of the burning building sent a chill of fear up everyone's collective spines. "That…That's horrible" cried Leni, "tell me about it; I thought knights were supposed to be good guys, saving princesses and whatnot" growled Lola. Lisa, despite her shock, informed her sister how all that was but the stuff of stories.

"There have been _some_ records of knights behaving as Lola mentioned, though" Jackson murmured. Normally, Lisa would make a sort of comment on proper historical knowledge and accuracy on certain ancient warriors. But the sight before her was so shocking, the thought didn't even come to mind.

The clip, at last came to an end and Grouse was currently still in tears. "It's okay, Sir" murmured Ms. Mulligan, "the important thing is you're safe." The on-scene report ended with Grouse, later being led into a charter bus.

Mulligan closed her story by saying until repairs were finished, he would be living at the Sunset Canyon Retirement Home. "I can't believe those buttholes did that to Grouse" Lynn growled, "even _he_ doesn't deserve this." Whenever in town; the Louds would, sometimes find themselves confronted by the old man's bad side.

Whether it was his shouting at Luna to keep her music down during gigs, him taking away any other kids toys that land on his property or shouting at neighbors' pets for…"doing their business" on his yard. But despite all this, no one wanted any harm or misfortune to befall him. The newscasters then showed live footage of a pair of black knights chasing some bullies down the sidewalk near Huntington Manor.

"We have to save them, quickly" decreed Spade, "agreed, nobody deserves this kind of treatment; especially bullies or Grouse" Lynn Sr. stated. With that, everyone rushed out and began their costume changes. The only one who remained behind was Lana.

"Can't we have breakfast first, _then_ save the day" she groaned, only to be met with a loud chorus of "NO" from her family. Meanwhile, back at Huntington; the bullies soon found themselves cornered in an alleyway. One of them, a rather burly sixteen year old, was in such a state of terror; he peed his pants.

"Foul knaves" growled one of the knights, "thou shalt suffer most grievously for thy crimes against the wee ones." "Look, dudes…we don't have a clue what you're talking about" one of the female bullies stammered fearfully. "We speak of the pain thou hast inflicted upon a young school boy. Whose undergarments have been torn asunder from being strung high up upon a flagpole" the second knight shouted.

The bullies suddenly realized their error and began to blush in shame. One of them then commented on how this was karma kicking them in the crotch for what they did. "Shut it, karma ain't real and you know it" the leader said through clenched teeth.

Both knights dismounted from their steeds and approached the group slowly, all while drawing out their weapons. "Please…don't hurt us" one of the bullies cried pathetically, "we won't bother those kids anymore, we swear!" The others nodded their heads vigorously in alarmed agreement but the knights remained unappeased.

"Apologies alone will not suffice" the leader murmured, "only through swift punishment shall we be recompensed!" As the bullies cowered in a heap, preparing for the worst; something whizzed through the air and struck the blade out of the lead black knight's grip. He clutched his wrist painfully and spotted what looked like a playing card upon the ground; one bearing a large "Ace" symbol.  
He gave a soft chuckle and turned his gaze towards a rooftop, spotting the heroes. "Here I thought knights were charged to protect the people above all else" Ace quipped. Without a moment's pause, the lead knight gave a signal and his team unleashed a volley of arrows at the Full House Gang.

But just before the volley hits, a large Jack-in-the-box bounced over the building and blocked the arrows. Said box landed with a thud and The Joker suddenly popped out, tossing pies at the knights faces. "I love the smell of battle in the evening, smells like…pumpkin pie. HA-HA-HA-HA!" she chortled.

The others couldn't help but snigger just a tiny bit at the jest. While the knights swiped off the crème from their helmets in rage. "Thou shalt suffer for thy offense, knavish fool" growled the lead knight, drawing his sword. With that, a ferocious battle began between the two forces.

Utilizing her superhuman strength, Strong Suit unleashed a flurry of blows against the shields of three knights. Yet with every blow delivered, they still held their ground. "C'mon you bucket heads, fall down already" Strong Suit roared but the knights said nothing.

The young teen seethed with rage, believing that her opponents were all toying with her. This slip of her temper would then lead to her undoing. As Strong Suit continued to unleash her fury, her blows began to soften up.

In time, she began to tire; which gave one of the knights the chance to strike. With a quick sweep of the leg, the knight sent Strong Suit flying onto her back in a tired heap. "In battle, victory is won by more than mere force" boasted the warrior.

Though she wanted to fight back, all her previous strength and vigor was slowly slipping away. Finally, Strong Suit fell flat on her back; defeated. Off near the end of the alley, the Eight of Spades gazed in shock at her fallen sister; then at the knights surrounding her.

With a soft yet infuriated growl, the young warrior clenched her shovel weapon tightly in her hands; as the knights advanced upon her. One of them soon noticed a smile gracing the child's lips. "Why do you smile, wee one" one of them asked, "we hold the advantage, in this duel."

"In numbers and size, yes" the Goth murmured, "but here, the shadows are _my_ advantage." With that, she took a step back into a shadowy corner of the alley; seemingly fading away. At first, the knights seemed confused by the tactic; unsure of where she could be.

But then, the leader held up his hand; silencing their worried murmuring. Then, they suddenly went still, which greatly confused the Full House Gang. _"What are they planning"_ Ace thought to himself, slowly reaching for his belt.

Unknown to the heroes, their enemies were carefully listening for any sound disturbances around them. Even their breathing was kept to a soft and mildly shallow level, so as not to cause any alarm. Finally, there came the soft sound of a foot touching a puddle and the knights struck.

With near lightning fast reflexes, one of them notched an arrow onto his bowstring and fired behind him. The arrow flew into the shadows of the alley and then…all was quiet. "What happened, I can't see anything" whispered the Royal Flush, her sisters all shared the same sense of worry.

Finally, there came the sounds of a "drip, drip, drip" breaking the silence; followed by a set of soft, unsteady footfalls. From the shadows, Eight of Spades came trudging out and everyone could see her gripping out her side. "OMG, guys; she's bleeding" cried Eleven of Hearts, fearing for her sister.

"Be silent, child" the lead knight shouted, "'twas but a warning shot, 'twas not meant to deliver a fatal blow." Eight of Spades gave a soft wince and asked why they only wanted her wounded. "'twas so that we may draw you out and finish you" growled the knights, drawing out their weapons.

With that, they advanced towards the young Goth child; only to be stopped by a pink sash gripping one of them around the waist. The knight was then pulled backward and Royal Flush struck his helmet hard with her trusty wrench. As the knight lay dazed, Eleven of Hearts pressed her foot hard atop his chestplate.

"You big, dumb meanies made a _huge_ mistake hurting my sister like that" she growled, "and now…you'll pay." Before he could react, the normally sweet teenager began mercilessly pounding at the knight's armor. But despite her righteous fury, it alone didn't grant her enough strength to harm her opponent.

After a few more punches, the fallen warrior's other comrades quickly jumped her from behind; restraining her. High Card glared at them vehemently and rushed one of the knights. "Card Counter, bring me my backup bolas" she called out, to which the wee genius quickly rushed to the van and tossed the aforementioned weapon to her sister.

Upon claiming her weapon, High Card then engaged in a fierce duel with one of the knights. The remaining members of the Full House Gang cheered wildly for their elder sibling, amazed by how well she held her own against her opponent. Even the knights, though on the opposite side, felt impressed by their combat skills.

However; the knight, eventually gained the upper hand by sweeping High Card's legs. As she fell, her weapon flew out of her hands and landed three feet away. Upon recovering from her fall, High Card desperately crawled towards her weapon.

But just as she was within arm's reach, the knight quickly snatched the bolas away. High Card let out a gasp, presuming her opponent would strike her down where she lay. Suddenly, as the young heroine closed her eyes; she felt a soft weight fall upon her lap.

She opened up her eyes to find her bolas, safely in her possession. Then, she looked up at her opponent in confusion. "You gave me back my weapon…why" she asked, "though we are rivals, this night; I refuse to strike my opponent while they're unarmed" the knight replied.

Utterly baffled, High Card slowly got back on her feet and gave the knight a bow of thanks. Not a second later, the knight took a defensive pose and urged for the fight to continue. "What…what happened to that attitude of yours from before" High Card demanded, "my attitude remains unchanged, I only showed leniency toward you so that we could battle more fairly" the knight retorted.

"Whoa" murmured Royal Flush, "this guy here is nuttier than a mound of squirrel poop." One of the other knights prepared to strike the child for speaking out of turn. But then the sounds of sirens wailing swiftly ended any further attacks.

The lead knight growled bitterly, upon hearing the noises. "Fie, our work here has not been completed" he said through clenched teeth, "but we mustn't linger here any further." With that said, the knights quickly rushed to their steeds and retreated from the alley; leaving their enemies behind.

"Okay, we've been in some weird fights before" murmured Strong Suit, "but this was by far the strangest one." Her sisters, Ace and Jack all nodded in full agreement. As they prepared to head inside the van and leave the scene, the police quickly arrived.

From out of one of the cars came Officer Schoffner and her partner. She smiled smugly, as she approached the band of heroes. "Well, well, well; never thought I'd catch you all at a crime scene" Officer Schoffner chuckled.

Just as Ace prepared to offer up a rebuttal, the bullies quickly stepped in. "These guys saved our lives, Officer" a burly one grunted, to which his friends all murmured in agreement. Schoffner gave the family of heroes a skeptical stare, "like I'd trust the word of some street punks who find pleasure in pickin' on other kids" she scoffed.

"We're serious" a girl member of the gang exclaimed, "one of them took a shot for us." She then directed the officer's attention to the bleeding mark on Eight of Spades' side. After this, she stood there in silence; as if contemplating what to do next.

Finally, with an exasperated groan; Schoffner relented and bade her fellow officers to let them be…for now. "See to it that these hooligans are properly disciplined for their actions, won't you" Card Counter stated smugly, upon entering the van. The officers all growled at them but reluctantly obliged, slapping cuffs on each of the bullies' wrists.

"Gosh, is it right to let them get taken away like this" murmured Eleven of Hearts; "they did stand up for us, after all." "Don't worry, dudette; a little community service will work wonders for 'em" replied Night Club, taking her seat. Their job now finished, the family swiftly made their journey home.

But the ride was not a very calming one, unfortunately. For their minds buzzed with all manner of questions. Who sent these warriors underneath their helmets, what role did they have in all this mess…and why did the one show mercy towards High Card during their battle? In the end, everyone agreed that after tending to Eight of Spades' wound and any other injuries. They would need to learn all that they could about these warriors and how they planned to achieve their master plan.

(AN: Well, things have certainly taken quite an interesting turn. Why would one of these Chess Knights aid High Card in the middle of a fight? Before ANY of you come to a conclusion as to who the warrior's identity is.

Rest assured, things are not what they seem. To find out, tune in for the next chapter)

(Second AN: All locations mentioned in this chapter are all places are places that exist within the series. Such as the Chortle Portal, Bangers & Mosh, Huntington Manor etc. All of whom, like the series itself, belong to the creators)


	10. Chapter Nine: Know Thy Enemy As Thyself

Know Thy Enemy as Thyself

Yet again, the Full House Gang had lost a battle and yet again, they returned home to lick their wounds. Of course; only one among them needed such treatment, this time around…Lucy. While Lynn was jumpy upon feeling the touch of antibacterial fluid, the wee Goth remained still.

"Wow" Jackson called out in amazement, "I wish I had your kind of calm resolve when _I_ get my ouchies treated." Upon realizing he said the term "ouchies" in front of Lori, Jackson quickly covered his mouth in embarrassment. But much to his relief, she was too bothered by the battle to even notice.

"I don't really mind" Lucy murmured, "the pain is a way to remind me I'm still alive." Everyone, young and old, shuddered at the creepiness of her choice of words. To change the subject, Lisa brought out a large manila envelope and placed it upon the table.

"Family, friends…I regret to say that once again, we have had our collective buts kicked" the child genius stated. Her elder and younger sisters groaned softly; some even murmuring "thank you, Prof. Obvious." "Because of this, I feel the time has come to do some studying" Lisa added.

Upon hearing this, everyone let out loud groan of displeasure. "LIIIIISAAA!" groaned Lana, "it's Saturday; after the beating we just got, we _deserve_ a break!" The other sisters all grumbled in agreement but were quickly silenced, when Ace raised his hand.

"Normally, I'd be siding with you ladies" he stated, "but this is the second time these guys have defeated us and I'm sure Lynn would agree to not wanting a third defeat." Lynn couldn't help but growl softly; to her, three outs meant the end of the game and he _hated_ losing (almost as much as Lola did.) "The sooner we learn all that we can about these crooks, the sooner we can all chill out" Spade decreed.

With that in mind; everyone, begrudgingly, agreed to the terms and Spade gestured for Lisa to proceed. "In my hand, I have an envelope containing all the information I could find on these strange felons" she explained, gesturing at the envelope. Upon opening it; the family split up a series of pictures, police files on all the places that were hit, files on the recent string of robberies and one large image of a chessboard.

"Um…Lisa, I think the computer thingy printed a toy pic by mistake" Leni interjected, to which the wee genius gave a soft shake of her head. "It was no mistake, dear Leni" she stated, "our previous encounters with these strangers led me to think of a familiar pattern." Their curiosities piqued, the family all asked Lisa what was the pattern she saw.

She then directed their attention towards the pictures on the table. "Notice anything familiar between the Chess game and the criminals, everyone" she asked, hoping they'd see it too. Everyone observed the images closely, for several moments.

Finally, Lucy spoke up in saying the criminals attire seemed to resemble the game pieces. "That is absolutely correct, my grim kinfolk" Lisa cheered with a small smile, "more than that…it seems that these criminals are all making movements based on patterns found within the game." She went on to explain how their first meeting was against a group of pikemen and two bishops.

"All due respect, honey; what does _that_ have to do with anything?" questioned Mrs. Loud. She was then asked to look at the armor of the pikemen in one photo and then, at the photo of the chess game. At first, the family matriarch saw nothing out of the ordinary…until she glanced at the warriors' helmets.

Then, she noticed something interesting regarding the shape of the armor they wore. After taking a moment to observe the chessboard photo, it all became clear. "Those pikemen or…whatever they are, they look just like the pawns in the game" she exclaimed.

Lisa gave her mother a broad smile, not only happy for her deciphering the clue. She was also happy at the fact that _someone_ , other than her knew about the game of Chess. "No offense, brah; but that all seems like a whole lotta nothin" Luna mumbled.

"I can assure you, Luna that Mother's revelation holds more than you think" Lisa muttered softly. Then, she began to explain how like medieval pikemen; the pawns' purpose was to fend off attackers or keep prisoners (i.e. the other game pieces) at bay. "As we saw at the casino, the 'pawns' that attacked were holding down the residents within" explained the child prodigy.

"What about those guys in the robes with the big hats" questioned Leni, "those would be known as the _bishops_ , dear sister" grumbled Lisa softly. "In Medieval Times; they were tasked by their leaders, either a king or the Pope, to manage a local church…or stifle any kind of unrest among the community that went against the holy law." Some of the team was able to understand, while others (namely Leni, the twins and Lily) stared blankly in confusion.

"But that was a casino, not a church" Jackson interjected, "what would they be doing there?" Lisa went on to explain why her previous description reflected a _medieval_ bishop's purpose. Their place on the chessboard was to keep all the pawns in line and organize proper structure amongst the pawns.

Everything slowly became much clearer for the team, by now. But there were some things left unchecked or unmentioned about the matter. "Do you think these guys have something to do with the robberies and kidnappings" questioned Spade.

"That is my theory…but how nice of you to mention the previous crimes, Sir" murmured Lisa. With that in mind, she brought up a log on the not too recent weapons vault robbery. "I've printed out copies of this log for all of us to review, just to inform you" Lisa stated, while handing out papers.

The next half hour was spent in studying the log. Checking it over to see if anything appeared familiar or out of the ordinary. Alas, nothing of the sort seemed to be found; just some military grade steel, night-vision technology, computer chips containing data for plasma shields and parts from a broken mind-control device. Upon glancing at the final item, Spade raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Anyone other than me notice something about a mind-control device being among the weapons vault inventory?" he asked. This revelation caused nine of the ten sisters and the parents to cast glares Lisa's way, which made Spade confused. After sweating under her family's glares for a minute or two, she let out a sigh of defeat.

"Long ago; before you came to join our household, Spade. I…made an invention for the local police force" Lisa murmured. Curious, Spade asked why this specific invention would warrant such cold glares from her family. To answer him, Lisa presented a set of blueprints; one that showed schematics for a plate of some kind.

"This doesn't seem too much of a concern" Spade stated, "many people in this world have plates in their heads." Lynn Sr. shook his head and said what he was looking at _wasn't_ really a metal plate. "Apparently; the mayor asked Lisa to help them calm down the prison riots that have been happening, in the past" he explained.

Spade felt concerned about the matter of the riots. But wondered what Lisa attempted to do to change it all. That was when the young genius revealed that the plates were actually behavioral modification devices. With this revelation, the young detective soon felt a fraction of the Loud Family's disdain well up inside of him.

"You mean to tell us you made a device that can forcefully change how people feel?!" Jackson Keane roared with outrage, "how was I supposed to know altering human emotions was considered 'illegal' in this world" Lisa grumbled. "My invention would've done away with all the barbaric thoughts within criminal minds and make them into model citizens again!"

Rita cast a scolding glare at her young daughter, proclaiming that her idea was both morally and scientifically immoral to perform. "Apologies, Mother" Lisa groaned in exasperation, "but as the saying goes; if one wishes to make an omelet, they must break a series of excretions from the domestic foul." After taking a moment to erase Lisa's…crude description of a chicken egg from their minds, Lynn Sr. went on to say all the devices were later confiscated and disposed of.

"But not before each and every one of them was taken apart, piece by piece" added Rita. "Okay; I guess we're good, then" Leni chimed in, to which everyone questioned why she would think thus. "Well…even if the baddies stole Lisa's thingy; they can't do much with a bunch of broken parts, right" she asked.

That was when everything began to seem a little clearer. Someone, they didn't know who, was kidnapping innocent people and using modified versions of Lisa's device on them. Furthermore, it seemed all the more possible that these Chess-themed felons might have been behind it all.

But a few pieces of the puzzle had yet to be put in place. Spade scanned through the pile of photographs, once again and spotted one of Lord Reginald. "Tell me, why include this photo among all the other pictures and pieces of information you've collected" he asked. That was when Lynn Jr. jumped up and proclaimed that "Sir Fancy-Pants," as she called him, was the culprit all along.

"Come along now, Lynn" Rita murmured, shaking her head; "you should know better by now that the guilty party isn't always the 'most obvious' person in the room." The others murmured in agreement, making references to the popular and clichéd "the butler did it" trope seen through much of popular media. "Besides, Lord Reginald is a high class member of English society" Lisa added, "why would _he_ , of all people, stoop to such low levels?"

"Well…what do we even really know about this guy" Lynn retorted, "all Lisa said was he's a historian and an archeologist. Other than that, what else do we know?" Everyone felt moderately divided by what they've just heard. On one hand, Lisa was right in saying that committing petty felony was often beneath people of Mr. Barnum's stature.

On the other hand, however; no one in the family, not even Lisa herself, knew the lord on a personal level. As such, he might've suffered some form of financial issues or social backlash that pushed him over the edge. But they had no evidence to prove such a claim.

"There must be someone who could help us" murmured Leni, who was staring at the pictures absent-mindedly. After a few moments of staring at the items on the table, no one seemed to know of an answer. That is, until an idea came into Rita's mind.

"What about that other high-class fellow that lives outside of town" she said suddenly. Spade and Jackson stared at her in confusion, while the Loud Sisters all bellowed with disgust. "There's no way we are asking _him_ for help, Mom" Lori growled, "remember what he did, last Spring; he splashed Lana by driving over a puddle while she was walking Charles!" added Leni sadly.

As the sisters all began voicing their disdain for this unknown individual. Spade silently raised his hand high, catching their attention. "Sorry, everyone….but who is it that you're so upset about?" he asked, curiously; to which Rita answered by saying a simple name, Lord Tetherby.

Jackson let out a soft gasp of realization and revealed that this "Tetherby" was the heir to the Tetherby fortune. "His family are the one's who brought us the oh so fun playground game of tetherball" he murmured nostalgically. Spade took note of this revelation; thinking it might be of some use, later on.

Then, he asked the family why they feel such anger towards him. "He's one of those prissy stuffed shirts that live in the rich people territory, up near Huntington Manor" Lynn murmured venomously. "He also has a habit of picking on those of us who ain't rich like him" Luna growled.

Spade thought for a moment on how they could gain information from Lord Tetherby. Then, inspiration struck him like a blow to the head. "But it won't be any of _us_ who talks to him" he stated suddenly, before rushing to the bathroom.

When he came out, a moment later; he was fully dressed in his Ace Savvy uniform. "Surely, 'His Lordship' wouldn't refuse assisting a hero in need of help" he said boldly, puffing out his chest. The girls couldn't help themselves in letting out a few stray giggles. But they were swiftly silenced by their mother, who also let out a giggle.

"This idea has…some possibility of success, Spade" Lisa admitted, "however, what will you do in the off chance he refuses to speak with you?" Ace thought for a moment and then said he would cross that bridge, when the moment arrived. With that, he hurried out of the building and up the pathway.

When he arrived at the estate, sometime later; Ace gave the door a knock and waited. Finally, it opened to reveal a rather short man with a stout physique, white hair, a matching white mustache, a fair complexion and a fancy suit.

"I'm sorry" murmured the man, "but I'm afraid it is much too early for All Hallows Eve for me to pass out candy to everyone in such outlandish clothes." Brushing off the small insult, Ace introduced himself to the man. "I'm actually Ace Savvy, you may have heard of me on the news?" he asked.

The man took a moment to think and then, it dawned on him. "Yes, you're the delightful buffoon Miss Mulligan spoke about o'er the past few weeks" he stated. Ace grumbled spitefully under his breath, offended that Mulligan would describe him to the public in such a way.

Pushing that thought aside, he shook the man's hand and got right down to business. "My apologies, Sir for disturbing you, Sir" he murmured, "but I came to ask you if this is the home of one, Lord Nigel Tetherby?" The man smiled and gave the hero a most gracious bow. "I am the man you seek, young hero" he stated, this gave Ace a faint glimmer of hope.

"A pleasure to meet you, Your Lordship" he said formerly, "sorry to intrude but I came to ask you something." Tetherby gave a weary groan and said he wasn't interested in making anymore donations to anyone. "No, Sir; it's not money I'm here for" Ace retorted, "I seek information."

With that said, Tetherby's demeanor slightly changed and he gave Ace the privilege to come inside. Upon arriving in the parlor; a butler approached the duo, offering them a tray containing small tea cakes. When asked if he desired one, Ace politely declined.

After Tetherby took a moment to sample his tea, he then asked the hero what he wished to know. "I'm certain you've seen the news, yes" questioned Ace, "aside from any moments of accidental mishaps my team and I have." The lord nodded and mentioned how "boorish" it was, seeing all those "ruffians" harass the people of Royal Woods that way.

"They claim that they want to 'change society for the better' in our town" Ace added, "they've destroyed so many properties already." "That's abysmal" murmured Tetherby, "if they truly wanted to change things…just buy out the businesses and remodel them to their desires." Tetherby let out a few chuckles but Ace, on the other hand was unamused.

"Oh, come now" chortled the lord, "don't be so stone-faced, it was just a little joke." Ace sighed and murmured how he had heard his fair share of poor jokes from his colleague, the Joker. "Moving along; while attending to the staff at the Ace in the Hole Casino, we crossed paths with someone you may or may not know of" Ace explained.

Upon mentioning the name of Reginald Barnum, Tetherby's interest was piqued. "Ah, I know of him" he stated, "but he's not among my associates around this neck of the woods." Ace felt intrigued by this and politely urged him to continue.

"He saved my father's life, during the Second World War" Tetherby explained, "while most people chose to relocate for their safety, he refused to leave his family's ancestral castle." This bit of information really caught Ace's attention. Perhaps the Loud Sisters were right in their speculation about him.

"Whatever became of his home" he asked, "was it destroyed from all the bombing…perhaps, raided by Nazi invaders?" Tetherby let out a chuckle; stating that while some soldiers _did_ invade his home, it was a decision they'd come to regret. "Barnum's family comes from a long line of medieval nobles, from knights to counts" he explained.

"His family had lived in that castle for generations and he was willing to defend it to the bitter end, like the knights of old would." The mood slowly became rather somber, after a while. "After the war; despite the allies' victory, much of Barnum's home was damaged and would require repairs" Tetherby explained.

"I imagine a man of his status could afford such repairs, right" Ace guessed but Tetherby gave a soft shake of his head. "He could afford it…but they were impossible to do, at that point in time" Tetherby replied. "Because of such circumstances, some English troops had to escort him off the premises."

Ace felt a knot of sadness tie up inside of him. He knew the feeling of losing one's home to Fate all too well. "Whatever…Whatever became of his family's home" he asked curiously, "it's still standing, if that's what you wish to know" Tetherby answered.

"But by now, it's probably a decaying shadow of its former self." Upon sensing Tetherby's sadness, Ace offered him a sympathetic ear. "I can empathize with you, Sir" he said with a small frown, "long ago, I once lost someplace _I_ considered my home."

Tetherby smiled at the hero and thanked him for his kindness. That was when matters began to feel rather tense. The lord soon noticed Ace's discomfort and asked if he was well.

"Oh…yes, I'm fine" the hero assured, "but if you don't mind my asking…and _please_ do forgive me, if this seems I'm overstepping any boundaries. Do you think Lord Barnum may be the one responsible for the attacks that have occurred recently?" At first, Tetherby felt slightly offended by such an assumption. But once he recalled the overall demeanor of the attackers, it made some sense.

"I can assure you, Sir; he is _not_ involved in any way" the noble stated, "a man of his status, even in today's time, would not perform barbaric actions." Ace felt some ring of truth in Tetherby's words. But wished to know if he could ask Lord Barnum himself and where he may find him.

"You would have to travel quite a long way, my friend" Tetherby stated, "his new home lies on the northern side of Michigan." Ace thanked Tetherby for his services, gave him a bow and left the estate. After exiting, he retreated to a more secluded area of the grounds.

There; he reached into his belt, pulled out a device and turned it on. "Come in…girls, come in; this is Ace calling" he whispered into the device; he was greeted by mostly static, after that. He tried again and after ten seconds, a voice picked up.

 _"This is the Fortress of Solitary, may I ask who's calling?"_ Ace let out a shrill shushing sound at the speaker, whom he recognized as Leni. "Quiet…don't say such things out loud, when we're using the communicators" he instructed, "you'll never know if someone is watching us."

As the conversation went on, a spy was watching Ace from high in the trees; all while also speaking into a communicator of their own. _"Do you see the whelp, spy"_ asked the voice, "aye…he seems to be speaking to someone on a communication device" the spy answered. _"Tis one of his young compatriots, no doubt"_ the voice murmured, _"should someone come to retrieve Ace Savvy; pursue them, find out where their dwelling lies."_

The spy murmured in understanding and resumed its watch. After a half-hour's wait, Vanzilla arrived and Ace climbed aboard. Just as it began to drive away, the spy gave chase after the van.

After much running, leaping and occasional hiding; the spy noticed that the vehicle stopped before a large card house of some kind. _"What manner of trickery be this?"_ pondered the spy, _"could this some form of ruse to lure me into a trap?"_ Just then, two of the cards' suits began to glow and they slowly opened up; revealing a sort of gateway.

As the van passed through; the spy quickly moved in closer, just enough to get a clear view of the inside. There, he spotted a long pathway leading down into the ground. "Zounds, these mad fools must reside deep within the earth's center" the spy murmured, rubbing his eyes in shock.

Then, the doors slowly began to close; which meant the spy had to quickly move away. Though the way was shut, the spy had seen all he needed. Before departing, the spy placed a golden emblem behind one of the other "cards."

Afterward, he took out his communicator and quickly fled the scene. "Mission accomplished, my Lords" he murmured, "proceeding back to the castle now." Meanwhile, in the northern side of Michigan, the Black King was seen listening to his spy's report.

"You placed the tracker, spy" questioned the king, _"yes, milord; they don't suspect a thing"_ chuckled the spy. Then, the connection ceased and he turned to face his "court." "The time is almost here, gentles all" he decreed, "soon, we shall dispose of Ace Savvy and his compatriots!"

The Black King's court all shouted loud praises towards their master. Then, the White King approached his "brother" and asked if he was certain this would do away with the heroes. "Even if they _were_ to survive what we have in waiting for them; our numbers are too great now, for them to even attempt to defy us" the Black King chuckled.

After saying this, he stepped out onto a balcony and gazed down below him; here two large armies, one black and one white, stood in formation. Both eager to march out into battle and do their lords' bidding

(AN: For those curious; Lord Tetherby was a one-time character featured in the episode, Out on a Limo. He…wasn't, exactly a nice guy there)


	11. Chapter Ten: Bad Night at the Club

Bad Night at the Club/The Chess Court's Message

Upon returning to base, Spade removed his hero outfit and reported what he learned from Lord Tetherby to the Loud Family. He told them of how Barnum lost his home, the lord's family history, his connection with Tetherby and most of all, how fiercely he fought off invaders during WWII. "Whoa" cried Lana in amazement, "this Barnum guy isn't just rich, he's tough too.

"Maybe…but it's _still_ not making him any less of a suspect, in my book" murmured Lynn, "this all feels like forty-five miles of bad road." The family chuckled softly at her paranoia but felt some truth behind it. With this information coupled with they knew before about Lord Barnum, things were becoming more suspicious by the moment.

But Lisa quickly refuted these claims by, once again bringing up his noble name. "What could a man of his caliber have to gain from harming innocent people" she suggested, "maybe…he wants a crown or more money" Lola replied. "Whoever's behind all this, I'll bet they're after something bigger than just that" Lana stated.

Jackson then politely interjected by bringing up the matter of the stolen goods Lisa mentioned before. "What do you think our enemies want with those sorts of things, exactly?" he asked. Everyone pondered for a few moments and then, Lynn suggested they may be building a sort of super weapon.

"By Newton's Apple" cried Lisa in shock, Lynn…you're a genius!" The others looked at the two ladies, utterly baffled; while Lynn took a moment to relish in her little sister's shock. "You mind puttin' all that in writing, later" she chuckled, smiling broadly.

Wasting no time, Lisa raced into her lab and began to create a theory based on all the evidence they've collected. While this was happening, Luna suddenly felt her cellphone vibrating against her hip. She quickly picked it up and was then greeted by the voice of Niles MacArthur.

"Hey, Chief; what's the haps" she greeted warmly, her boss' voice then chattered softly in her ear. The family could not clearly hear what was being said, unfortunately. But from the expressions shown on Luna's face, a few seconds later; something seemed amiss.

"Dude…are you serious" she cried in alarm, feeling a cold chill flow down her spine. Upon hearing this reaction; the family, Spade and Jackson all began to wonder what was happening. Whatever it was, it troubled Luna tremendously.

"Did the fam try lookin' for her yet…they did…and they didn't find anything?" she questioned continuously. When Mr. MacArthur's voice gave a simple murmur of validation on the other line, Luna felt her heart sink slightly. After that, the only thing they all _could_ hear clearly was him asking Luna to come into work that night, to "fill in" for someone.

"No problem, boss man" she murmured, "I'll happily stand in until anything new develops." With that said, Mr. Macarthur thanked Luna for her assistance and hung up; leaving the young rocker solo with her troubled mind. After giving her a few moments of space, Lori approached her younger sister and asked what was wrong.

"It's weird, dudes" she mumbled, "Mr. Sharp, Sam's Dad called the club earlier this week and asked my boss if he'd seen Sam around." Leni and Lola both gasped in alarm, "you think Sam might be in danger" Leni murmured fearfully. Leni gave her sib a pat on the shoulder, assuring her things might not be quite as severe as that.

"Maybe Sam's out playin' hooky or somethin'" suggested Lana, who was currently playing leapfrog with Hops. "If you recall from earlier, Sam's parental unit had just asked Luna's employer if he had seen their offspring" Lisa stated, "this would mean Sam has been absent from home as well." This revelation caused a bitter chill to run up Luna's spine.

If Sam was missing from work _and_ home; then, where could she be? "Well, this is a family of heroes; right" Lynn Sr. declared, to which everyone gave a hearty cheer in response. "Then, we'll help out the Sharps by searching all over town for their child; however long it takes" Lynn Sr. decreed.

Upon hearing this, Spade added that they could utilize this search party idea as a means of finding the other missing townsfolk as well. "Excellent suggestion, my friend" Lisa said with great praise, "let us begin the search!" Luna prepared to join in the fray but her parents quickly stopped her.

"We appreciate you wanting to lend a hand, sweetie; really" Rita said with a smile, "but your boss needs you and you still need to keep a steady job." In her heart, Luna knew her mother spoke truly. But with the news of Sam's sudden disappearance still fresh in her mind, her flaming passion for rock was slightly dimming down.

Lynn saw the look of uncertainty in his daughter's eyes, wrapped his arms around her and patted her back soothingly. "Don't worry, honey" he assured softly, "Sam's safe, I just know it…and if he were here. He'd want you to go out and strut your stuff on stage again." Despite the kind nature of her father's words; Luna felt a twinge in her stomach, upon hearing him call Sam a "he."

No one knew that the apple of Luna's eye, as the cliché so often goes, was actually a girl. Originally, Luna _had_ considered in telling everyone the truth. But then, she was held back by the age-old fear of rejection.

It was one thing to announce to one's family they were dating someone outside their race; like how Lori did, when Bobby first met the family. But in Luna's case, she was what Lisa's "egghead" lingo called "bi-sexual;" someone who could develop feelings for guys _and/or_ girls. When she was younger; like any girl, Luna had some crushes on some big name rock stars (ol' Mick Swagger being one of them.)

But once Sam came into the picture; all those others faded away, like so many one-hit wonders. Luna had never felt so strongly for anyone like she did for Sam and she wondered what her family, Jackson or even Spade would think of her; if they knew the truth. Suddenly, her mind echoed with the soft sounds of fingers snapping.

Luna opened her eyes and found her mom looking at her with concern. "Honey…are you alright" she asked, "I'll call Mr. Macarthur and tell him to call in a stand in, if you're not feeling well enough to work." Upon hearing this, Luna snapped out of her daze and waved her hands defensively at her.

"No worries, Mom" she chuckled softly, "I'm good…just worried about Sam is all." With that said; Luna hurried off to her room, collected her gear and headed out the door. "Lates, guys; see ya after work" she called out to the family, who responded with equal affection.

It was then that Lori realized Luna needed a ride and thus, hurried after her. Moments later, after arriving at the club; things seemed to be exceedingly mellow. Luna took the stage and tried to behave like her usual wild and rockin' self.

But when she looked stage right, her heart sank at the sight of the bare area beside her. _"I used to love playin' solo"_ she thought sadly, _"but without Sam around…I just can't bring it."_ With that thought in mind, Luna outwardly let out a long sigh of despair and laid down her guitar.

This display however, didn't quite go over so well for the club patrons. "Hey, missy; I came here to eat and hear sweet tunes" one person jeered, "you best deliver or I'll make ya." When his demands appear to fall on deaf ears; the rowdy patron gave a soft chuckle, picked up his container of nachos and chucked it.

Said nachos then struck Luna square in the face, coating bits of her hair and her right cheek with sticky cheese sauce. Yet, despite this; she remained unhinged and racked with sadness. Inspired by the first attack, several other patrons proceeded to throw their drinks and bits of their food at Luna.

Yet again, this did not seem to affect her. But Mr. Macarthur, on the other hand, felt quite bothered by this display. With a huff, he rushed to the stage and clamped his hand over the microphone. This created a blaring sound effect through the speakers, causing everyone to clutch their ears in pain; even Luna.

Macarthur turned towards the young rocker, apologizing for his actions. Then, he glared down each and every person present in the club. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves" he roared, "this young lady's friend and stage partner is missing and all you care about is her playin' for you like some kinda trained monkey?!"

"Don't sweat it, Mr. M" Luna murmured, "you said you needed help with the entertainment and I felt obligated to do that." Mr. MacArthur felt touched by Luna's words and gave her a thankful hug. "That still doesn't give these people the right to treat you like that" he grumbled, gently wiping Luna's face with a napkin.

Then, with a sigh; he gave a shoutout to the deejay and told _him_ to fill in for the night's entertainment. With a nod, the young mix-master agreed and brought his turntable onto the stage. As the music began to play, Mr. MacArthur brought Luna up to the bar; offering her a cold root beer.

"Thanks, Niles" she murmured with a soft smile, "maybe a cool drink will help calm me down a bit." As Luna poured herself a cup, she felt Mr. MacArthur's hand lightly pat against her own. "Hey…I'm worried about her too" he said softly, "I'm sure everybody's doin' their part to help find Sam."

Luna smiled at her boss and thanked him for the drink. "My family is doing _their_ part in the search too, no mistake about that" she chuckled, giving her cup a sip. "With as many sisters as you have, the late Detective Nifty's son, the Keane boy and your parents all involved; I'll bet they've got the whole town covered" Mr. Macarthur said warmly.

The two smiled and toasted their glasses together, hoping for Sam's return. Then, as Luna prepared for another sip; she suddenly saw her phone ringing on the bar. She picked it up and saw the e-mail logo flashing on the screen.

Confused and intrigued, she asked to be excused to use the restroom. "Have at it, girl; you _need_ a break, after all that's happened" Mr. Macarthur said with a gentle wave. With a grateful bow, Luna quickly made her way into the ladies room; taking refuge inside one of the stalls.

Once the cost seemed clear, Luna opened the e-mail on her phone. What she saw next caused her to go white as a ghost. It was an image of the Fortress of Solitaire, almost torn apart at the seams.

Despite the "cards" being painted stones, the attackers were still able to deliver some severe blows to them. Luna then noticed the two "spade" cards appearing damaged, which made her fear the worst. _"Oh, no…is the fam okay"_ she thought worriedly, _"I gotta give Lori a call and fast!"_

With that thought in mind, she opened up her Caller ID and pressed the "auto-dial" icon next to Lori's number. The phone rang for several moments with no answer, which made Luna's heart beat like a thousand drum solos. Finally, the call was answered and she could hear Lori's voice on the other end.

"Lori…oh, thank God" Luna heaved out with relief, "when you sent that e-mail, I got worried sick." After that, the two began to talk about what happened. Apparently; just after Luna had left for work, the family went out and began their search party.

Sadly; after hours of looking through every house, the school and any business left standing…they've found nothing. _"I'm sorry, Luna…we tried; we really did"_ murmured Lori's voice sadly. "Don't sweat it, Brah" the rocker sighed, "I just appreciate your help and I'm sure Sam's folks feel the same.

After that; there was a brief silence and then, Lori softly cleared her throat. "Speaking of the Sharps and Sam; I need to ask you something, Luna" she stated. Concerned, Luna prepared to ask what she wanted to know. Just then; a loud ruckus erupted outside the restroom, disrupting their conversation.

At first, Luna tried to ignore it…but the noise grew even louder. "Listen, Sis…we'll talk when I get back; seems the crowd's getting' antsy over something" Luna growled in annoyance. Lori murmured in agreement on her end and politely ended their conversation.

Her eyes narrowed tensely in anger, Luna left the ladies room in a huff and demanded to know what was going on. Her question was answered, the moment she looked up at the television screen. There, she saw a face she remembered all too well; the Black King.

Several patrons shouted for Mr. Macarthur to change the channel, which he tried. But much to everyone's dismay, they were greeted by the same image on every station. "What the hay is up with the TV" Mr. MacArthur murmured, "

After several more attempts to find something new, he slammed down the remote in defeat. This all felt a little odd to Luna and she decided to give her family a call, to see if it happened to them too. As if on cue, Luna saw a video call on her phone and answered.

Much to her relief, it was Lori again and she appeared to be unharmed; as did the rest of the gang. "Thank goodness you guys are all safe" Luna cried with joy, "from the pic Lori sent me, I thought you were all goners." "Thankfully, our intruders failed to realize where our _true_ home was" Lisa chuckled, "although…it's going to take time to repair the damages they made."

Luna smiled softly, happy at how the baddies couldn't outsmart her baby sister. Then, she took a look behind Lisa and noticed the image on their television. "Dudeage, you guys' TV got jacked too?" she asked, "same thing's happenin' here at the club.

In the background, Jackson murmured how their enemies must've intercepted the satellite signal. "Chances are everyone all over the country is experiencing the same issue" Spade mentioned from somewhere nearby. Luna raised an eyebrow and asked how this thing could be affecting the nation as a whole.

"We received calls from our friends, colleagues and even the Casagrande Family; after the attack" Spade explained. "The real question is…why hijack a television signal?" Upon saying this, Lisa interjected in saying that radio signals have been taken over as well.

"I know this because earlier, Leni stormed in; crying that someone disrupted her favorite all male music group's song on her radio" she added. These developments were all seeming stranger and stranger by the minute. Then, suddenly; Mr. MacArthur raised his hand and the whole club suddenly went silent.

"Whoever this guy is, he looks like he's gonna speak now" he grumbled, "he best have a good excuse for all this." Finally, everything went silent and all people everywhere stared at the main on the screens or sat anxiously by their radios in waiting. Then, there came the sound of loud fanfare playing inside the Black King's location and he took a seat upon his throne.

Beside him sat _his_ "queen," the White King and Queen and both their respective courts seated all around them. The man gave a slight bow of the head and smiled, which (to Mr. Macarthur) made him appear quite smug. "Who are these people, what do they want" the deejay asked, "I dunno, kid…but it doesn't feel like it's pleasant" murmured Mr. MacArthur.

 _"Apologies for disrupting…whatever the lot of you sees as 'entertaining' within the airwaves"_ began the so-called king, _"but we wish to bring to you all a message._ " In an instant, the camera images changed; revealing the outward appearance of the Fortress of Solitaire. Seeing this sight again coupled with the Black King's smug face made Luna's blood boil.

 _"I've already got enough to worry about, with Sam missing"_ she thought bitterly, _"these guys_ really _don't want to fuel my fire!"_ After showing the image for a solid thirty seconds, the Black King's visage returned to the screen. _"Let this and our previous attacks on your city pose as a warning"_ he growled, _"all who defy us, citizen and 'protector' alike, shall equally suffer our wrath!"_

The Black and White courts all roared loudly in agreement, brandishing their weapons high above them in salute/warning. After letting this out of their collective systems, the Black King gestured for silence and proceeded to make his demands to the public. _"We are merciful folk, in spite of our previous shows of strength"_ he murmured, lying through his teeth.

 _"We shall cease our actions forthwith…after your people agree to our terms"_ said the White King, stepping forward. Then, a hooded messenger approached and proceeded to read from a long parchment. " _Firstly, your people must agree to repudiate your boorish ways of living. Secondly; all cities across the land are to halt all construction/running of any 'night club,' repugnant eatery or any other…decadent establishment that would undermine the advancement of_ true _human culture…"_

The second demand made Mr. Macarthur feel such outrage, he chucked a plastic cup full of soda at the screen; spilling its contents all over. "Like heck I'm gonna stop running this place, you chumps!" he roared angrily, which brought Luna to try and calm him down as best as she could. Finally, the Black King stood up; ready to make his court's final demand.

 _"Lastly, your government must surrender all its authority and recognize our people as the one_ true _leaders of the land!"_ he decreed boldly. Naturally, outside the TVs of everyone in the nation; the people roared loudly with outrage. Somehow, the Chess-themed court could sense this unrest…but they remained unhindered.

 _"We sense that you wish to refuse our authority"_ chuckled the Black King, _"permit us to show you the seriousness of the situation."_ With that, he turned around slightly and clapped his hands. Upon doing so; two large warriors, dressed in heavy armor, approached and one of them appeared to be carrying a sac over his shoulder.

The two warriors placed the sac at the Black King's feet; then, he presented the sac before the camera. Upon removing it and revealing who was inside, Luna's blood ran cold. Tired, confused and apparently dehydrated was none other than Sam.

"HOW THE HECK DID THOSE JERKS GET A HOLD OF HER?!" Luna roared angrily, "that's precisely what _I'd_ like to know to, sweetie" growled Mr. MacArthur. From her cellphone, the Loud Sisters and their parents all looked at Luna in confusion; asking her if she knew the girl. Before anyone could say or do anything else, the Chess Court began their work.

As the Black King snapped his fingers, two knights roughly grabbed Sam by her arms and forced her on her knees. The poor girl tried to break free but the knights' grip on her felt too strong to move even an inch. Then, one of the white bishops approached Sam; carrying a box in his hands.

 _"Do not resist, child"_ the bishop said softly, _"with this, your mind shall be free of all unwanted notions and you shall become one of us."_ With that said; he opened up the chest, revealing what looked like a sort of circlet. "Ooh, that looks so pretty" chimed Leni, "do you think it comes in cerulean blue?"

"Something tells me that thing's not meant to make a fashion statement, honey" Lynn Sr. murmured fearfully. Upon gazing at the item intently, Lisa let out a gasp and glared at the screen. "Those vile pretenders" she exclaimed suddenly, "that thing is made from parts of _my_ device!"

There was a loud, collective gasp of shock; upon hearing this. "By ' _your_ device,' are you referring to those behavioral modification inventions you made" questioned Spade, feeling quite concerned. "The very same, my friend" murmured Lisa, "they must've taken the broken parts and reverse engineered them to make circlets like that one."

Lola and Lana both blinked in confusion and asked what a "circlet thingy" was. "It is a piece of decorative headwear people once wore in the Middle Ages" Lisa answered, "and they taken pieces from _my_ invention to make that!" Remembering Lisa's description of what her inventions did, Luna began to fear for her friend/crush.

Once again, Sam attempted to break free; this time by slamming her head against her captors' arms. But one of the knights, with a fierce growl, smashed his fist against the back of her head; rendering her unconscious. The people at home could only watch helplessly, as one of the bishops took the circlet and placed it upon Sam's head.

Within seconds, the jewel at the base of the band began to softly glow. Their task completed, both bishops retreated behind the rest of the court and the Black King commanded the knights to escort Sam to her chambers. Once they had left, the king faced the camera with a wicked grin.

 _"Do not be alarmed, good people"_ he assured with mock sincerity, _"the child will live and she_ will _awaken, in due course."_ The second Black King stepped forth, a cruel smile adorning his lips and resumed the speech. _"Upon her return, the lass' mind shall be cleansed and she will thus be molded into our greatness"_ he stated.

 _"Continue to mock, challenge or defy our authority further on and soon;_ every _citizen of this land and all the world over will meet the same fate"_ decreed the White Queen. With this decree, the lights suddenly flashed on; revealing their vast numbers. Upon seeing this; Spade, Jackson and the Louds all felt that they were now in over their heads.

The screen then showed an image of the mildly dilapidated Fortress of Solitaire. _"Should you be considering the idea that your 'champions' will come to your aid, let_ this _image show you the falsehood of your hope in them"_ decreed the Black King. While Spade knew that the reports of the Full House Gang's "downfall" were greatly exaggerated.

He realized however, that the citizens were unaware of this and felt that they would be easy prey for the court. _"If our demands have not been met four days hence, our armies shall ravage this land until you genuflect in submission to us…so says the Black King"_ he decreed. This was followed by a loud _"so say we all"_ from the other members of the court.

Then, the screen suddenly went black; before returning to whatever programs everyone all over was viewing. Naturally, everyone at the bar was flabbergasted by what they have witnessed; unsure of what to say. Then, Luna suddenly shot up from her seat and rushed out the door.

"Sorry to split so suddenly like this, Boss Man" she called out, "gotta head home and check on the family." Mr. MacArthur didn't argue with her; with the way things were going, he felt everyone needed to be with family or loved ones that night. Elsewhere, Luna kept running faster and faster towards home; pushing past anyone who intentionally or unintentionally got in her way.

In her haste, she suddenly tripped over something; causing her guitar case to fly into the air. It landed with a thud and the lid suddenly snapped open. Luna rushed over and began inspection, hoping that her axe was still in one piece.

Then, she spotted a piece of paper beneath the guitar; one bearing a series of words and numbers. In an instant, Luna recognized it as Sam's address. She picked it up and after a few seconds, held it close to her heart; remembering how kind Sam was when she gave it to her.

Once her name popped into mind, Luna's eyes burned with rage. She folded up the paper, placed it beneath her guitar, shut the case and resumed running for home. _"I don't know how or where we'll find you, love…but I'm comin'"_ Luna thought, _"even if it takes my family and I one-thousand years, I'll save ya and beat down any loser who gets in the way."_

(AN: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" as they say, but even worse is when that scorned woman is in love. Will the Full House Gang find Sam and all the other captives in time and take down the Chess Court or will the world soon bow before their black and white banner? Tune in next time, to find out)


	12. Chapter Eleven: Luna's Confession

Luna's Confession

For what felt like ages, Luna kept on running; desperate to get home and be with her family again. But alas, the human body could only move so fast for so long and Luna tripping every few minutes didn't make matters any easier. Yet, in spite of all this and the tears still flowing from her eyes; Luna kept moving.

 _"Hold on, Sam"_ she thought desperately, _"don't let those jokers hassle you, keep on fighting!"_ For almost forty minutes, Luna ran like a mad woman; until she finally reached home. As she feared, the Chess Court managed to damage the front door extensively.

But as she stuck her head inside; Luna sighed with relief, when she saw that they hadn't broken through the hidden passage way. Meanwhile; down in the complex, the other Loud Sisters were all anxiously awaiting their kin's return. That is to say… _eight_ of the remaining nine sisters were waiting for her.

Lisa however, was absent from the group; locked in her room and working away at her computer. Said work was suddenly disrupted by her personally installed proximity alarm. "Family units, my alarm system has detected a life form above ground" she called out through her door, still focused on her "research."

Spade narrowed his eyes tensely, sensing another possible attack afoot. "Bring up the radar" he requested, "if it's those creeps again…start up the van." Rita Loud headed over towards the TV and pressed a button, causing a radar image to appear on screen.

Spade took a close look at the flashing blip before him and scratched his chin. Then, he reached for Jackson's utility belt and pressed a button found on the buckle. Upon doing so, it began to give a similar "beeping" sound the radar blip was making; which filled Spade with some glimmer of hope.

"It's okay, everyone" he assured, "the signal matches the same as ours…which means, that's Luna above ground!" Everyone let out loud sighs or cries of relief, while Lisa simply giggled at them from inside her room. _"And you all thought it was 'wrong' for me to have all our uniforms microchipped"_ she called out triumphantly, _"_ this _is precisely the reason why I've done it!"_

Disregarding their sister's comment, Lori and Leni begged for someone to open the door and let her in. "Not a chance, missy" Rita said firmly, "after what just happened, I'm _still_ not taking any chances!" She then suggested firing up the van and going to pick up Luna, if it truly _was_ her there.

Everyone agreed and headed for the van but not before changing into their hero garb, just to be safe. When Vanzilla finally arrived at the above entrance and the door opened up, the Full House Gang found a hideous surprise. Lying sprawl before them, fatigued and heavily dehydrated was Luna.

"OMG!" cried Lori, "she looks like death warmed over…twice!" Without pause, Lisa leapt out of the van and pressed her fingers lightly against Luna's wrists. Everyone remained silent, for a moment or two; before the wee genius let out a deep sigh of relief.

"She's still alive" she said happily, "exhausted and heavily dehydrated…but alive, nonetheless." With the greatest of care, the other sisters and Spade all brought Luna safely into the van. "She must've ran the whole way here from the club" murmured Spade, "poor girl."

Meanwhile; deep within the recesses of her mind, Luna found herself being haunted by images of Sam's capture. In a fit of rage, she lunged forward in an attempt to try save her. But much to her confusion and later dismay, Luna simply phased through the image like it was mist.

After several more failed attempts, she fell to her knees and cried in defeat. _"It's all my fault…Lis was right"_ she thought dejectedly, _"those bad dudes must've learned who I was, somehow and got a hold of Sam just to mess with me."_ She cried for several more moments and then, she looked up from her hands to see that the images have multiplied; surrounding her in what appeared to be IMAX screen-sized versions of them.

All this soon became too much for Luna to handle. Then, through the void; Luna could swear she heard voices calling out her name. _"Probably just my head messin' with me again"_ she murmured dejectedly, _"just put me outta my misery already."_

Suddenly, a bright light suddenly blared; causing the shadowy void to disappear and Luna to groan painfully. In the Waking World, Lisa was seen shining a medical light into the unconscious rocker's eyes to check her responses. "Her irises are reacting to the light" she murmured, "this means that her mind is still fully functioning."

The family, Spade and Jackson all sighed with great relief and began to wonder when Luna would reawaken. As Fate would have it, the young rocker let out a sudden yet soft moan. "Dude…dim down the spotlight or I won't be able to play" she grumbled softly, offering up a weak grin.

"OH MY GOSH, LUNA!" cried Leni, "we were totes worried about you; I cried so much, my mascara's running." Luna could tell from the black streaks on her elder sister's face that she was telling the truth. Before she could say another word, Lynn Jr. shoved a funnel in her mouth and began pouring water forcefully down her throat.

After two or three big sips, Luna shot upright and spat out the funnel; all while choking violently. "Honey, was all that really necessary" Rita said firmly, "sorry, Mom… but since she was dehydrated; I didn't want to take any chances" Lynn retorted. Luna let out a few more loud coughs, before taking in some deep breaths.

"Dudes…what are you talkin' about" she wheezed, "for that matter…how did I get here?" Everyone took a few steps back, granting Luna a few moments to regain her composure. After what felt like ages of silence, someone spoke up.

"When we found you, you looked like you ran one of Lynn's crazy marathons" Lori murmured worriedly, "care to tell us what happened?" Luna took hold of a nearby cup of water and began to sample it; relaxing herself. "It's all a little…a little fuzzy, dudes" she groaned, "but…I think I remember talkin' to you guys on my phone, earlier."

"Yeah, that was when the TV got _royally_ jacked by the Black King's crew" joked Lynn, following it up with a laugh and her inquiry of "get it." Luna dismissed her sister's poor joke and resumed trying to recap what happened that led her back home. Then, she recalled the nightmare she had just moments ago and it all became clear.

"I think I remember" she exclaimed, "I left work and I immediately ran the whole way back home, the moment I saw those guys on the tube messin' with..." Upon reaching that point, Luna suddenly froze; unsure of whether or not to continue on. When Spade saw the look of uncertainty on her face, he felt concerned.

"You're talking about that girl on TV that they captured, right" he asked cautiously, to which Luna answered with a simple nod. "I don't get it, Sis" murmured Lana, "what is it about her that made you rush outta work like you ate some of Dad's Chili?" This question left Luna at a complete loss; for the first time in a long time, she felt nervous.

The family soon took notice of this and began to feel worried. "Honey…are you sure you're okay now" questioned Lynn Sr., Luna quickly snapped out of her daze and did her best to put on a brave face. "Yeah, Pops…I'm rockin'" she said with a fake smile, "just feelin' a little winded still from all that runnin' earlier.

Despite the half-truth in her words, the Loud Family did not feel convinced; making Luna feel even more on edge. Desperate, she turned to Spade and assured him that she was fine. "My father taught me a trick or two to tell me when someone's lying" he stated, "and from your expression and mannerisms, you're making my inner lie detector go off like church bells now."

The family began to grow even more suspicious, after Spade's statement. "Now, young lady; remember Rule No.7 of the House Rules?" questioned Lynn Sr., Luna let out a soft sigh and murmured "'family never lies…unless it involves superhero business.'" Everyone gave a nod and once again, urged Luna into trying to speak.

"If you're in some kind of trouble, sweetie; we can help you" Rita assured, "and I'm not just saying that because I'm a mother to heroes." Luna took a good look at her family's concerned expressions, along with Spade and Jackson's. Then, she let out a soft sigh and finally decided to come clean.

"The reason I'm buggin' is…I'm worried about Sam" she admitted, this made her sisters gasp in alarm. "Those guys got a hold of your crush" Lola cried, "bring them here, I'll force-feed them one of Lily's diapers!" The aforementioned baby babbled in agreement and presented a soiled diaper to her sister.

"Much appreciated, Sis" Luna murmured, "but the truth is…Spade, Jack; y'all remember when I told you about my crush on Sam?" The two heroes nodded slightly and asked where this was going. Luna then asked if they all remembered seeing the girl that court had, just before their broadcast ended.

"Yes, we know about that already" murmured Lynn Jr., "but what does _she_ have to do with anything?" No one spoke a word, after that; Luna felt much too nervous to say anything. Then; after taking a moment to clean her glasses up, Lisa stepped forward.

"We've beaten around the bush long enough, I think" she sighed, "the truth, my dear family is that Luna's crush and the girl we saw on the television…is the same individual." Naturally, the family let out a gasp of surprise at the revelation. Upon taking a moment to let it all sink in, they faced Luna; who was glowing red as a beet with nervous embarrassment.

"That wasn't really _your_ call to make the reveal, Lis" Luna grumbled, using her sister's nickname harshly. "It had to be done" Lisa said bluntly, "you stalling the way you did was not helping matters progress any further. Rita cast a look of disapproval towards her young daughter and asked Lynn Sr. to move her aside.

After that was said and done, Luna turned towards her family with a look of shame upon her face. "So, folks; there you have it" she grumbled, "Sam, the one I've been dreamin' about and thinkin' about all this time…is a girl!" As one of the sisters attempted to speak, Luna suddenly resumed her ranting.

"I know what you guys are thinkin'" she interjected, "Lunes must be goin' nuts having the hots for a girl…right?" The only response she got was a collective murmur of unsure statements. "Well, I don't care _what_ you all think" she decreed, "I'm bi, I love Sam and I ain't ashamed to admit it!"

"You're by what" Leni asked suddenly, "are you by the door, by the TV…by the table?" Lori softly facepalmed herself and informed her sister that Luna was speaking of something completely different. "Luna's talking about being bi- _sexual_ , Leni" the elder Loud Sister explained, "it's where people like both guys _and_ girls, not just one type."

Lana scratched her head in confusion, asking if people could actually do that. "They _can_ , sweetheart" Lynn Sr. stated, "I once knew someone in college who was like that." As the family began to talk idly about the subject of romantic preferences, both Luna and Lisa were growing rather annoyed.

"With all due respect, may we _please_ try and remain on topic here" the child prodigy grumbled. Upon sensing they were getting off-track, the Louds all focused their attention back on Luna. "Honey, are you saying you have…feelings for this Sam girl?" questioned Rita, Luna could only give a shy nod as a response.

"I know…you guys must all think something's wrong with me, after hearin' that" she mumbled shamefully, "but I'm still Luna, no matter what." After that, not another word was spoken for what almost felt like ages. Finally, Spade approached Luna and patted his hand empathically on her shoulder.

"Don't be discouraged, Luna" he murmured, "I'm proud of you for admitting that, it must've been hard to do." Luna gave her fellow crime fighter a chuckle and hugged him lightly. "No harder than the first gig I've ever done" she admitted, "I just hope you guys…still love me, after hearing that."

Luna hung her head low, expecting to hear loud screams of protest or disapproval. But much to her surprise, she felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around her; followed by several more. She opened her eyes to find her parents and sisters all smothering her in the biggest group hug ever.

After the moment ended, a few seconds later; everyone got serious. "Luna, how could you _ever_ doubt that we'd ever stop loving you" questioned Lynn Sr., "you're my lil' rock star and that will _never_ change." Luna sniffled softly, as tears began to form in her eyes; feeling genuinely touched by her father's words.

She then turned her gaze towards the others, who all proceeded to nod in reply. Finally, she faced Spade and Jackson; who were both standing apart from the hug. "What about you, dudes" asked Luna, "you two have somethin' to say about this?"

"Only that I've already known the truth for sometime" Spade confessed, which caused the Sisters to stare at him in shock. "How could you have known" questioned Lori, "for that matter, how did _Lisa_ know?" Upon being asked this, Lisa presented one of Luna's jackets to her family.

"Sometime after one of Luna's earlier meetings with this 'Sam'" Lisa began, "I've noticed something odd from Luna's half of the laundry, on Laundry Day." This statement caused Lana to sweat slightly, "that could've been anyone's cow pie in their pocket, I swear" she murmured nervously. After disregarding that rather…disgusting reveal, Spade stepped forward and presented one of Luna's jackets.

"Does everyone recall the odd yet sweet smell coming from this jacket, on that Laundry Day" he asked everyone, earning a unanimous nod from the remaining Loud members. "Upon running a thorough examination, I discovered that the aroma was from the remnants of some Cherry Lavender Hand Lotion" Lisa declared, "a substance mainly used by females." Despite these findings, everyone still remained skeptical.

"Now, Lisa; let's not be too quick to judge" Lynn stated, "there might be some men out there who enjoy using such lotions themselves." Jackson confirmed this assumption by stating how he enjoyed using the same body wash Rita uses, when showering. Despite being mildly put off by this statement, Luna assured everyone that Lisa's research was correct.

"Sam told me, one time that she enjoys using that lotion; after playing her ax" she stated. After that was said, she looked at her younger sister and asked why she would keep quiet about this for so long. "You should know by now that I do not have room in my brain to withhold such information" Lisa stated, "as such, I removed it and transferred it to Spade here.

With that said, Luna proceeded to ask _Spade_ the same question. "Truthfully, I didn't want to say anything unless you were ready to do so yourself" he confessed, "as a hero, I'm obligated to keep secrets hidden." Luna smiled at the young detective and gave him a strong hug in thanks.

"Still, dudes; I know you all must think I'm weird because of my feelings for Sam" she murmured sullenly, "it's cool, though…I get it." Lori rolled her eyes at this and gave her sister a light but swift smack on the back of the head. "Didn't you listen to Dad earlier" she groaned with a soft smile, "who you love doesn't change how _we_ feel about _you_."

The other sisters murmured in agreement; which filled Luna with such unbelievable joy. "If this Sam girl makes you happy, dear; _we're_ happy" Rita assured, this was followed by Lynn Sr. giving a high thumbs up to Luna. Touched by her family and friends' words, Luna rushed over and enveloped everyone in the biggest group hug she could muster.

This moment was, unfortunately cut short; when realization soon struck her. "Dude, we've gotta split" Luna cried, "who knows what those creeps are doin' to Sam or anyone else they've captured!" The family realized she was right and quickly suited up but not before handing Luna _her_ outfit.

"Are you sure you should go, Luna" questioned Rita, "you looked close to dead a few minutes ago." Her pleas fell on deaf ears, unfortunately; for Luna was already in her room, dressing herself. "Sam's in danger, Mom" she said firmly, "and it's possibly _my_ fault she's in this mess to begin with…I have to do _something!_ "

Despite her motherly concern, Rita knew she couldn't stand in the way of someone in love. If Lynn were the one in Sam's position, she'd be rushing into the Court's gates with guns a-blazing. Moments later; after putting on her makeup and collecting her guitar, Night Club went into action.

But before she could reach the van, Lisa quickly stepped into Luna's way. "Before you go rushing in blindly, Sister" she murmured, "I have some notes that you may find interesting." Luna glared at her sister and complained how she had no time for any study hall. "If you would only listen to me for a moment" groaned Lisa, "I would happily tell you where you will _find_ your significant other!"

With that, she threw a folder full of papers onto the kitchen table. Upon opening the folder, everyone found pictures of what looked like a castle in a very elegant and rural area. "Wait, I thought Barnum said his home was almost destroyed" Leni interjected, "what's this place in the picture?"

"All will be explained, dear Sister" Lisa replied, "but we must move quickly…before the Chess Court's plan's can move any quicker or before anyone else suffers their wrath." This statement caused Luna to wince slightly, fearful at the idea of Sam's own fate. With that in mind, everyone hurried to the van and prepared to leave.

But before they did, Rita placed a loving hand on Luna's shoulder in reassurance. "Stay strong, sweetie" she urged softly, "I know you all will be able to save everyone, _including_ Sam." With tears in her eyes and a quivering smile on her lips, Luna thanked her mother with a quick hug and kiss.

Lynn Sr., with tears flowing from _his_ eyes, waved goodbye to everyone and wished them good luck. Once the goodbyes were said, High Card revved up the van and sped up the passage way. During the ride, Luna opened up her guitar case and found the paper with Sam's info neatly folded inside.

She took hold of it for a moment or two; then, she held it tearfully against her heart. _"Hold on, Sam…I'm comin'"_ she thought to herself, _"and my crew and I will beat down anybody who keeps me away from you!"_

(AN: The big battle is almost here, folks…but what will the Gang find; when they enter enemy territory. Tune in next time, to find out)

(Second AN: Sorry for taking so long with this chapter, I've been burning my brain cells in trying to think of ways to make Luna's confession 100% genuine. Not to mention I wanted to make the reveal of Lisa and Spade already knowing the truth appear believable as well.

I love stories with detectives analyzing evidence and making deductions on said evidence. But I've never attempted to make something like that myself, until now)


	13. Chapter Twelve: Storming the Castle

Storming the Castle

As Vanzilla sped through the streets of Royal Woods; inside, the Full House Gang was busy discussing battle strategies. "So, once we reach their HQ; Deuce rolls in and launches a dirty diaper barrage" chuckled Royal Flush, "let's see if their armor can withstand _that_ kind of attack." Several members of the team murmured in agreement to the idea.

But one thing seemed to be missing; "regardless of our plans, we don't know _where_ their headquarters is" High Card said matter-of-factly, "until then…I think we're all sunk." At first, it seemed like any hope of success appeared lost. But like a flash of lightning, an idea quickly came into Ace's mind.

"Quickly, turn on the police radio" he cried out, "I think we may find our answer through there." The gang murmured softly in confusion, wondering just where Ace was going with his plan. "I don't see how this will help, Ace…but okay" murmured High Card, reaching for the radio.

As she began to tune it, everyone could soon hear faint sounds of radio chatter. Unfortunately; at the moment, it still sounded much too fuzzy to make out. Finally; after finding the right frequency, everyone held their tongues and listened intently.

 _"Attention all units, attention all units"_ murmured the voice of the dispatcher, _"Chess Court Knights spotted attacking Flip's Food & Fuel, proceed with caution."_ The Full House Gang collectively let out growls of outrage upon hearing this report. "Of all people, why hassle ol' Flip" questioned Night Club, "maybe he tried to rip one of the knights off or something" Strong Suit chuckled softly.

The team disregarded the comment made by their teammate/sister and made their way towards Flip's joint. "So…I'm confused, how will this get us to the Chess Court's home or…whatever they call it" questioned the Queen of Diamonds, Card Counter smiled at her sister and placed a small poker chip into her hand. Naturally, everyone felt confused by this gesture.

"No disrespect meant, Lisa…but how is _that_ going to help us" murmured Eight of Spades, "you will all find out soon enough, once we get to the crime scene" Card Counter replied. Meanwhile; at Flip's Fix & Fuel, a team of White Knights was exiting the establishment with a cash register in tow.

As for Flip himself, he was being tied to his chair by a pair of black armored pawns/pikemen. "Hey…c'mon, you guys; don't take Big Bucks Bertha from me" cried Flip, "I'll trade ya…you can have unlimited refills on snow cones (after payin' the first one's price of $15.95.) Heavily bothered by the man's stingy nature, one of the pikemen jabbed the tip of his spear against his belly.

"Stifle thyself, greedy swine" he growled, "thou hast committed many a grave offense to the peoples of this town" the lead knight stated coldly. "Bartering one's wares at such outrageous prices is reprehensible!" While this is going on, Vanzilla had parked itself some feet away from the scene; where the heroes within were watching it all play out.

"This doesn't feel right, you guys" murmured Eleven of Hearts; "we need to go save Flip before those meanies hurt him!" Ace patted her hand reassuringly and told her he felt the same way. "But in order for Card Counter's plan to work, the bad guys have to both attack Flip's _and_ ride away" he explained.

Several members of the team gave him concerned looks, as if they thought he'd gone made. But just before anyone could question him, the knights' stallions suddenly began to whinny loudly. "That sounds like the signal, dudes" whispered One-Eyed Jack, "what do we do next?"  
"Now, I will need the chip I showed you earlier" Card Counter replied, collecting the item in question from Jack's belt. Afterwards, she handed it to Strong Suit and asked her to give it a good throw at one of the horses. With a confident smile; Strong Suit took the chip, stepped out of the van, took a pitcher's stance and threw it hard.

It sailed through the air like a softball until it landed upon the flank of the lead knight's steed. "Good, now to activate it" murmured Lisa with a smile, as she hurried back into the car. "Activate _what_ , Lisa" groaned Night Club, "could someone tell me what's going on…please?!"

After typing away at a few keys on her laptop, everyone noticed a map of the town appear. Then, they saw a red blip flashing on the street they were on. "That chip was actually a tracker Ace and I came up with" Lisa said proudly, "one that will lead us right to the Court's lair" added Ace.

High Card smiled down at her two younger siblings and praised them for their clever thinking. "Better get a move on before they're out of range" she murmured, pressing down on the accelerator. For almost an hour, Vanzilla continued to follow the tracking signal; which seemed to take them beyond the limits of Royal Woods.

Soon; the Gang found themselves passing through Great Lakes City, Huntington Oaks and even Hazeltucky with no signs of stopping. "This is ridiculous" groaned High Card, "I can't afford to spend too much money on gas at my part-time job salary!" Ace looked over his seat and asked Card Counter where the blip was currently heading.

"If my readings are correct…which, more often than not, they are" she chuckled, "the ruffians seem to be heading…due north, towards Charlevoix." Upon hearing this, High Card seemed to have crushed her foot against the brake; sending the van into a complete halt. "Are you serious right now, Lisa" she gasped, "Charlevoix is on the other side of Michigan…how are we supposed to get there without running out of gas in the process?!"

The wee genius smiled and suggested using an alternative fuel source, to aid them. This suggested caused a collective murmur of disapproval between Ace, Jack and all the other Loud Sisters. "We're not exposing the van to another of your devices, Lisa" murmured the Eight of Spades, "not after last time."

Now, you may be wondering what Lucy's talking about. Well…long ago, during the heyday of the Full House Gang; Lisa created a sort of mini fusion reactor and offered it to replace the van's current engine with it. Naturally, Lynn Sr. was skeptical of it but he was always willing to allow his daughters to give something "the ol' college try."

Well; days later, they placed the reactor into Vanzilla and Lynn Sr. prepared to give it a test run. Unfortunately; once it started up, it flew off at a speed so fast that it nearly broke the sound barrier. Not to mention that the van almost crushed into itself from the pressure of the speed it traveled.

Thankfully, the Loud Patriarch survived the experience…but Vanzilla was rattled so much from the drive; it fell to pieces (quite literally.) From then on, Lisa was banned from ever adding any of her tech to the van…or _anything_ belonging to the family ever again. But she insisted that this time, she had something that would _not_ cause any unintended harm upon the vehicle.

To prove her point, she presented a large Ziploc bag full of…some unknown leavings. "PLEASE, tell me that's not something from the diaper bin or the cat's liter box" Strong Suit gagged, while Lily folded her arms in irritation; annoyed that her sister was bringing _her_ into the discussion. "I assure you, dear Sister that this bag contains…merely 20 percent of fecal matter" Card Counter retorted, "the other 70 % is made up of skins and scraps from some of the fruits and vegetables Father peeled for his recipes, over the past week or so.

Upon saying this, everyone had brief flashes of her rooting through the trash every time their father was making dinner. "What do you plan on doing with that slop" Queen of Diamonds groaned in disgust, "I can answer your inquiry in two simple words, Organic…Fuel" Card Counter said with a smile. Everyone else looked at her utterly dumbfounded, while Ace was beaming with absolute amazement.

"This is a wonderful idea" he gasped in awe, "but do you think it can help us?" Card Counter narrowed her eyes in determination and asked for High Card to stop the van. "Are you serious" she cried in confusion, "if I stop, the enemy will get ahead of us!" As if on cue, the van's engines began to sputter until it came to a full and complete stop.

"Great…just _great_ " High Card roared with irritation, "well…I guess, now's as good a time as any to try your 'organic fuel.'" With that, Card Counter exited the van and Ace helped lift her up to the gas slot. She opened up the Ziploc bag and began to gently pour the contents into the tank until every last bit was gone.

"Now, turn on the ignition and let's give it a test" Card Counter instructed, High Card gave her sister a dumbfounded look before climbing back into the van. "I hope this idea of yours works" she murmured, plugging the key into the slot. After the first two turns, the engine simply sputtered weakly and the van had not moved even the slightest inch.

"UGH! We're still not _moving_ " roared Queen of Diamonds irritably, "chalk up another failed invention, Lisa." Card Counter simply rolled her eyes and asked High Card to turn the ignition on the ignition one final time. Despite her belief it wouldn't do anything different, the elder heroine complied and turned the key.

Upon doing so; much to everyone's surprise, the engine soon sparked to life again. Furthermore, it seemed to give out a roar of great power. "Now, we will be able to catch up to those ruffians in less than two minutes" Card Counter declared proudly, mentally patting herself on the back.

After giving her sister a few words of praise, High Card revved up the engine and Vanzilla went off flying. Within minutes, the on-board computer was able to pick up the tracking chip's signal again. "According to the map, their HQ should be just up ahead" murmured Ace, "be ready once we arrive, everyone."

Each member within the van nodded silently and mentally prepped themselves for the battle to come. A half-hour slowly passed by and when the Full House Gang reached their destination, they were in for a startling surprise. Before them stood what looked like a beautiful castle with several structures built beside it.

The grounds around this "castle" were wide, spacious and stunning to behold; like pools of grass. There stood a magnificent fountain in the center of the front yard, a large riding pen for the horses (complete with stables,) a lake and several stunning gardens all around the complex. The "castle" itself was also stunning to behold.

It was built in the style of the mid-medieval Gothic era, as Card Counter surmised. Around it stood a blacksmith shop, the main barracks (presumably for the Chess Court's knights and pawns,) the equipment shed, a field house area where training was held, a large gatehouse and at the center of this building was the "keep." This tower stood so high, it seemed to loom over them like a giant.

"This is weird, dudes" mumbled Night Club, "I didn't think there _were_ any castles in Michigan." Upon hearing this and seeing the building, Card Counter's mind began to buzz with many thoughts. Without a moment to spare, she brought out a tablet and began typing.

When she found the object of her search, the wee genius smiled. "There aren't any castles in this state, just like you said" she stated, "this structure is a sort of forgery." High Card looked towards her hand asked what she was talking about.

"This city's only known 'castle' is the Castle Farms facility" she explained, "the establishment was merely a look-alike of a castle, someplace for folks to hold weddings or other special events." High Card gasped with realization; recalling how her grandfather, Albert, once told her of a friend who was married there. "So, what's the deets" questioned Night Club, "is this that same place or just a look-alike?"

Lisa gave a soft groan and murmured how she already said the building was a forgery. "Well, you could've said that earlier" mumbled Royal Flush, earning a glare from her sister. " _Regardless_ of what this place is…all we know is that the Chess Court is, possibly stationed here" Card Counter deduced.

With that said, everyone prepared to head on into the property. But before they could take one step, One-Eyed Jack quickly stopped them. "I don't think it's a good idea to rush in there with guns a-blazin'" he murmured cautiously, "take a look at the main gate."

Upon doing so; Ace soon spotted two large, heavily armored warriors with massive shields and helmets made in the shape of small castle crenellations or battlements. "Those must be guards of some kind" he whispered, to which Card Counter added that they were in fact Rooks. "'Rook" murmured Eleven of Hearts in confusion, "that sounds a little like a word a dog would say.

After everyone let out a soft sigh of annoyance, Card Counter explained that rooks were actually characters within a chess game. "The Rooks represent the medieval knights who would, by using their massive shields, protect the members of royalty" she explained. Upon taking another look at the two guards' strong armor and large shields, everyone felt like they were in over their heads.

"I may know of a way to take these guys out" chuckled Royal Flush, "all I need is my ammo." With that; she hurried to the back of the van, went inside and pulled out a large case through the rear doors. Upon passing by the rest of the Full House Gang, everyone's faces suddenly turned green and they plugged up their noses in disgust.

"Sakes alive" cried One-Eyed Jack, "what is that rancid odor…it's not natural!" With a smile, Royal Flush propped open the lid to reveal several dozen dirty diapers inside. "What the…are these _Lily's_ diapers?!" cried High Card , "why the heck do you have a case full of diapers?!"

"Like I said, they're ammunition" grunted Royal Flush, taking one in hand; "just watch and see for yourselves." She then "requested" that Strong Suit help throw the diaper like how she did with the tracker earlier. "Are you out of your mind" she screamed, "these hands of mine are sacred tools of athleticism…I can't afford to leave them germ ridden!"

Royal Flush did not waver, however; again, she asked her sister to use her strength to lob the "weapon" at the guards. "Trust me, this plan _will_ work" she assured, "if it doesn't…Hopps can be Lisa's next test subject for an experiment." Royal Flush inwardly shuddered, thankful that her beloved pet frog wasn't around to hear her words.

Upon taking a moment to think the idea over, everyone agreed to it and urged Strong Suit to take the diaper. With a reluctant sigh/groan, she held its bow tight in her throwing hand. _"If this idea tanks, Lana is gonna do more than offer up one of her pets to Lisa"_ she thought bitterly.

With her "weapon" in hand, Strong Suit approached a nearby bush for cover. There; she carefully assessed her situation, took aim, held the diaper steady…and lobbed it high into the air. As the diaper sailed upward; the two Rook guards, at the gate continued to stand watch.

Then, the Black Rook suddenly heard a whistling sound from above him. He looked up and saw a white projectile heading right for him. "Comrades, we are besieged" he cried, "raise your shields!"

The guards did as instructed and raised their large shields high above their heads. Within seconds, the diaper struck one of them; splattering its contents all over the emblem of his shield. Confused, the warrior turned his shield around and studied the residue intently.

When the rancid smell of scat seeped into the slot of his helm, his strong demeanor began to chip away slightly. "ZOUNDS!" he cried, "the invaders attack us not with weapons of steel…but the foulest leavings of a thousand unclean nags!" Royal Flush smiled proudly, believing her plan was beginning to prove successful.

Deuce, however was grossly offended by the Rook's words; thinking it unfair of him to say her…leavings smelled like one-thousand horses. "Looks like your plan could actually work" murmured Eight of Spades, "but I don't think _one_ diaper's going to stop all of them." Royal Flush smiled broadly and patted the large case beside her.

Meanwhile, several other rooks did what they could to help their distraught companion. "Brother…rouse yourself, quickly" a white rook murmured, "if one of us falls, the enemy shall be upon us!" Like some form of ironic joke from Fate, several more "diaper bombs" began falling from the sky.

Despite their shields blocking the full force of the barrage, nothing could protect them from the rancid odor that followed. One soiled diaper's aroma was able to bring one man on the brink of collapse. But the odor of over a dozen diapers caused them all to feel they were struck by a warhead filled with hazardous waste.

Within ten seconds, each and every one of the guards fell to the ground in unconscious heaps. Upon seeing the result of their attack, the Full House Gang felt thankful that they were a reasonable distance from the gate. "Brah…how long have you held on to those diapers" gasped Night Club, Royal Flush chuckled softly and murmured how she lost count between eight to ten months.

After taking a few seconds to recover from her…disturbing revelation, the heroes hurried through the gate. "Looks like you just lost a bet, poindexter" Royal Flush chuckled playfully, blowing a raspberry at her sister. The child prodigy shook her head softly; realizing now that she should learn never to underestimate others, not even family.

As the team of heroes reached the front door, Ace signed for everyone to remain quiet. The girls nodded, along with Jack and Ace placed his hands upon the handle. Much to his surprise, the door slowly slid open without any struggle.

"Oh, how nice" Eleven of Hearts cheered softly, "they left the door open for us." The others did not share in her optimism, unfortunately; even little Lily could tell they might be entering into a trap…and she was just a baby. "Be on your guard, everyone" High Card whispered, gripping her bolas; "the enemy may be waiting for us inside."

Everyone nodded to one another and tip-toed through the door into what looked like some sort of large foyer. "OMG! Such delicious décor" cried Eleven of Hearts; "I know, would love to have furniture this nice" gasped the Queen of Diamonds with delight. High Card quickly brought her sisters back to reality, when she saw them getting too cozy on a love seat.

"We don't have time for this" she whispered, "we need to find out where the Chess Court is and where they might be holding up anyone." These words caused an icy chill of doubt to run down Luna's spine, unsure of what kind of fate Sam was enduring in this place. "On that note, we better split up and search the place" Ace stated, "each of us will take a part of the castle and look around for any signs of people."

After saying this, he gestured at each of their belt buckles. "Should you run into trouble or find anything of importance, contact the others with your hidden walkie-talkies" Ace explained. The team nodded in understanding and went their separate ways, with High Card taking Deuce with her (because she was the youngest.)

Within minutes, each member of the team found themselves at different areas of the complex. High Card and Deuce were on the second floor hallway, Strong Suit was in the courtyard, Royal Flush was inspecting the stables (when she _wasn't_ mingling with the horses or rolling around in the mud.) Meanwhile Queen of Diamonds looked around what looked like the banquet hall.

Joker searched around first floor the halls, Card Counter looked through the library, Strong Suit searched the training yard and barracks, Night Club searched for clues in the gardens and as for the Eleven of Hearts; she found herself captivated by some of the clothes she found in several closets. All that remained was Ace and Jack, who found themselves within a large hall.

Said hall was finely decorated with beautiful curtains, coats of arms and stylish paintings hung high on the walls, the floor was made of fine jade tile and above the two heroes' heads hung a crystal chandelier. For a half hour, each member of the Gang proceeded to look over each of the rooms they were in. But despite looking over every nook and cranny, the "castle" appeared empty.

"Don't tell me we came all the way here on a wild goose chase" grumbled Strong Suit, as she kicked the floor. "I'm not sure" mumbled One-Eyed Jack, "I mean…are we sure that we checked _every_ room in this place?" Card Counter took in his words and brought out a small device from her belt.

With it, she began scanning around the area but all appeared the same; normal. That is, until she directed her device downward. Upon doing so, the small screen on the device began to beep; showing small dots flickering in the area below their floor.

"It seems that Jack was correct in his assumption, everyone" praised Card Counter, "a most observant moment for him, I daresay." Jack, feeling rather proud of himself, chuckled softly; as a faint blush slowly coated his cheeks. After that, everyone proceeded to search for a path that led down below the "castle."

Unfortunately, the only rooms they found were either closets or doors that opened up to other rooms, like the dining room. "How can we go downstairs, if there aren't any doors that go that way" huffed Eleven of Hearts, to which Ace reminded her to not be fooled by appearances. "Sometimes, the answer is often in plain sight" murmured the young detective, while feeling up the walls.

Everyone looked at Ace confusedly, wondering just what he was trying to do and how it would help them. Then, Eight of Spades was struck by realization. "Quickly, everyone" she called out in her soft and dry tone, "look for hidden levers or switches anywhere."

Card Counter stared at her sister blankly for a moment and afterwards, asked how that would help them. "On 'Vampires of Melancholia, it's shown that castles and old houses always have hidden passages to places somewhere" explained the Eight of Spades. At first, a few of the girls felt like questioning her idea.

But then, Eleven of Hearts encouraged everyone to give her a chance. "I mean; would she ever, like lie to us about anything" she asked, while patting her younger sister on the back. Everyone considered her words and after a moment, came to an agreement.

Thus, the Full House Gang began searching about the walls for anything out of the ordinary. That is… _most_ of them were; Deuce, meanwhile, was playfully swinging about the candles that hung from the walls. Alarmed, High Card quickly rushed over; worried her sister might fall at some point.

As she continued playing, the wee infant suddenly gripped her tiny fingers on one of the candle holders and gave it a tug. Much to everyone's surprise, it suddenly went forward and a soft rumbling sound followed soon after. It was then that Ace saw a hidden panel slowly moving sideways.

After a few seconds, a passage was opened; one revealing a long stairway leading downward. _"Well…whaddya know, Lucy's hunch was right"_ Strong Suit thought with a smile, _"guess I really shouldn't knock all that weird stuff she's into."_ Just as Ace and the rest of the team proceeded to think up a plan, Night Club suddenly rushed towards the stairs.

She didn't get far, though; as Royal Flush suddenly caught her with a fishing line and pulled her back. "Slow down, Nelly" she stated, "we can't just rush in headlong like that, who knows what's down there." "I'll tell you what's down there, dudes…Sam" she declared, breaking free of the line.

Once again, she was stopped from going down the steps; this time, by High Card's hand gripping her by the collar. "What makes you think she's down there, hmm?" she asked, "they could be waiting for us at the bottom."

Upon breaking free, Night Club prepared to make a third attempt down the steps. But just as she lifted her legs up, the young rocker suddenly froze where she stood. She remained this way for what felt like ages; until she, at last, fell down to her knees.

"You're right, dudes" she murmured, "this _could_ be the Court tryin' to fake us out, I just…I want to get Sam outta here as quick as possible." After that, Night Club began to let out shuddering breaths; as she struggled to hold back tears in her eyes. High Card and Eleven of Hearts could feel the distress radiating off of their sister and proceeded to comfort her.

"Don't worry, Lunes; we'll get her out of here" murmured High Card with a soft smile, "along with everyone else that's trapped in this place…I promise." Night Club sniffled softly, swiped her arm across her eyes and smiled at her sister.

"Thanks for the pep talk, Sis…I needed that" she choked out softly, "sorry for buggin' like that." Everyone pleasantly shrugged it off, assuring Night Club that there were no hard feelings. "Admittedly, if Boo-Boo Bear was in Sam's place, I'd be freaking out too" High Card confessed with a shudder.

After that, the team huddled up and began to formulate a plan. "Once we reach the bottom of those steps, stick together" explained Ace, "as High Card said, we don't know what's down there; so…be ready for _anything._ " Everyone gave a silent nod, readied their weapons and began to cautiously make their way down the steps.

They walked and walked down many steps until the hall suddenly began to grow dark. This sudden blackout caused Deuce to whimper softly, while Queen of Diamonds and Royal Flush held one another for security. "If we go down any more steps, we're libel to reach the center of the earth soon" whispered One-Eyed Jack.

Naturally, Card Counter offered up a rebuttal in saying reaching the earth's center would be impossible. But this thought was quickly brushed aside, when Ace spotted a flicker of light at the bottom of the steps. "Looks like we've reached the end of the line" he murmured, tiptoeing down the remaining steps.

Soon, everyone found themselves within a strange underground room. Then, Ace found the source of the light he saw; all around them were small torches hung up on the walls. "What is this place" shivered Queen of Diamonds, "it's giving me the creeps."

"Personally speaking, this kind of room would make a perfect Goth Cave" chuckled Eight of Spades softly, marveling at the atmosphere around them. Suddenly, a noise suddenly rang up; it was faint but it sounded like that of a moan. "OM GOSH, GUYS" shouted Eleven of Hearts, "are there zombies down here?!"

"Now, Sister; everyone knows there is no such thing as the living dead" Card Counter stated, "that may have just been the wind blowing through the door upstairs." Unfortunately; another moan suddenly cried out and this time, everyone could hear it.

"That doesn't sound like the wind to me" cried One-Eyed Jack, reaching towards his utility belt cautiously. Wishing to get a clearer view of where they are, Ace asked if anyone has anything that could provide light. That was when Night Club suddenly realized she had just the thing.

Placing her guitar case on the floor; she opened it, reached inside and brought out a series of glow sticks. She snapped each of them one by one and handed them off to everyone. "I always keep these around, whenever I have late-night outdoor gigs" she chuckled, snapping the last of the sticks.

Individually, these items would only give out a faint glow; barely able to light up a whole room. But with each member of the Full House Gang holding one or two sticks at once, they gave just the right amount of illumination. What they saw next, however made them _wish_ they were still in the dark.

The room they stood in looked almost like an ancient medieval dungeon or torture chamber. There were holding cells found all around the room, chains on the walls and a stone slab with straps upon it in the middle of the room. The color almost drained instantly from the heroes' faces.

Then, Deuce suddenly spotted a shadow in one of the cells and began to babble loudly. "Sorry, sweetie" murmured High Card, "but I'm afraid I can't change you now." Irritated, Deuce reached her tiny hand up and grabbed a small bit of her elder sister's hair, pulling her head sideways.

Just as High Card prepared to enter "Scolding Big Sister Mode" she, too spotted the shadow within the cell. "Was _that_ the thing that got you worked up?" she asked, feeling slightly guilty for ignoring Lily. The baby gave a soft nod and soon, the others looked over in the same direction.

Ever-so slowly, Ace made his way over to the cell and began calling out to whoever may be inside. Then; two pairs of thick, bulky hands lunged out and began to desperately reach out through the bars. After taking a moment to collect himself, Ace held up his glow stick and found two teenaged boys within the cell.

One was a big, dark-skinned boy with black hair that covered his eyes. He wore a white shirt, burgundy jacket, blue jeans, and white shoes; all of which appeared tattered and dirty due to being confined for so long. The other boy appeared equally burly; he had light skin, brown hair styled into a Mohawk one of his front teeth was missing.

He wore a dark khaki t-shirt, blue jean shorts, white socks and white shoes with three cyan stripes. Much like the other boy, this one also appeared quite dirty from captivity. Strong Suit approached the bars, took a look at the duo and glared at them.

"I know these mooks" she growled softly, "they're names are Hank and Hawk!" Ace turned towards his fellow crime fighter and asked how she knew their names. "They're part of my school's rival football team" Strong Suit whispered softly, "Hawk's the big oaf with the gap tooth and Hawk's his pal with the ugly hair."

One-Eyed Jack lightly chided Strong Suit for her words, saying that no one deserves that kind of talk; no matter who they are. "You wouldn't think that if you knew them like _I_ do" Strong Suit mumbled hoarsely in anger, "they're two of the biggest cheats out there!" "Not to mention they're two of the biggest bullies in town" Royal Flush sneered.

Before anything else could be said, Hank reached his hand out to Ace desperately and began to cry. "Please…get us out of here, hero dudes" he said with tears in his eyes, "you have no idea what these freaks have been doing here!" Hawk, with tears flowing from _his_ eyes, told them about the fates of all the other captured prisoners who came before them.

"These bozos in armor snatch up anyone in town who they think is doing something wrong" he explained. "They capture them, bring them back here and then, take them upstairs to do…who _knows_ what to them!" Night Club's body tensed up in shock, remembering what he saw happen to Sam not too long ago.

"Is there anyone else in here with you" Ace asked, "we may be able to get you all out of here." "With all due respect, Ace" murmured Royal Flush, "why should we help those butt clowns?" Ace stood there silently for a few moments, taking in a mental account of all the times the two boys had bullied the children of Royal Woods.

While seeing them get punished for all the things they've done would, admittedly feel rather satisfying. As a hero; Ace knew that _everyone_ deserved to be saved, even those seen as bullies. "I think whatever they've seen or went through here is punishment enough…don't you think" Ace asked the girls.

All the ladies, young and old, considered Ace's words carefully and realized that he was right. No matter what they did, no one deserved to rot in this place…or worse. With that settled, Ace called Card Counter to his side; which she quickly answered not a second later.

"You think you have a way to break this lock and all the others?" he asked with a smile, as if knowing her answer. Card Counter gave him a playful eye roll and collected something from his utility belt, a small lockpick. "This will take but a few seconds" she chuckled, beginning her work.

As the wee genius fiddled away at the lock, everyone else looked about the room with great suspicion. "Dudes…this is a little too easy" Night Club murmured tensely, "this may feel a bit like…" At that moment, what looked like decorative stones above the cell bars began to wobble slightly.

Then, the stones fell forward; revealing small holes behind each of them. From out these holes came a strange mist that began to fill the room. Some of the heroes began sniffing the air, only to plug up their noses not a second later.

"JEEZ LOUISE!" shouted Royal Flush, "this stuff reeks worse than Lynn's hockey pads after missing laundry day for six weeks!" Using a small device, Card Counter scanned the mist and let out a gasp of shock. "Do not inhale the air, everyone" she cried, "we're in some sort of gas trap!"

For one of them, her warning fell on deaf ears; as Eleven of Hearts foolishly spoke up in asking "what if we need to breathe?" In doing so; the mist filled up her lungs and within seconds, she began to feel drowsy. With a small sigh, the young teenager suddenly fell flat on the floor in a tired heap.

Upon seeing their sister/colleague fall, the others inadvertently gasped in worry for her. This, in turn caused the remaining eleven of them to fall down like heavy stones. Before slipping into unconsciousness; Ace, through his blurred vision, could see someone entering the dungeon chamber.

He weakly turned his gaze upward to see the figure of the Black King, looming triumphantly over them with a face plate covering his mouth. From beneath it, the king let out a soft chuckle of victory. Only three words were spoken, as Ace slowly drifted off to sleep; "Check and Mate."

(AN: Into the frying pan and into the fire, as they say. How will the Gang escape this and what fate awaits them, once they've woken up? Tune in next time, to find out)

(Second AN: For anyone else thinking it, the chapter's title may be a slight reference to the famous Princess Bride quote "have fun stormin' the castle." It wasn't intentional, mind you; it just felt like the appropriate name)


	14. (Author's Note)

(Author's Note)

Hey, all; this is Alexpv22 dropping a quick note to see how everyone's enjoying the story so far. Haven't seen any new followers or read any new reviews from you guys since Chapter Ten. Hope you all haven't called it quits already, especially now that things are getting good.

But I imagine it's because you're all pretty busy and haven't had time to check back on the story yet. If that's the case, I understand; I myself have also been busy IRL. As I mentioned before, life on the farm _can_ take up a bit of my writing time.

Not only that but this time last weekend, I was at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire for two days. My Mother, Sister and I arrived at a hotel close to the faire grounds on Friday, stayed during the two weekend days and returned home Monday afternoon (just six or so days ago. During that time, I didn't have the means to write or post anything.

So, I apologize for making you all wait so long for the next chapter. But now, we're getting down to the wire and you really don't want to miss what comes next. Hope to hear from you all soon, my readers; have a great day and be safe 


	15. Chapter Thirteen: Setting the Board

Setting the Board

With a pained groan; Ace slowly awoke, (presumably) hours later in a daze. As he slowly picked himself up off the ground, he turned to his head to find One-Eyed Jack beside him; still knocked out. "Jack" he whispered, "Jack, can you hear me…where are the girls?"

Despite his friend being within arms reach of him, Ace's calls went unheard. Upon getting onto his feet, Ace made a beeline for his fallen friend and partner. But after taking only three steps, Ace hit something that sent a massive electrical shock through him.

This sudden jolt sent him flying back onto the ground in a painful heap. When Ace came to, he looked ahead of him to see what he hit…but found nothing. He looked down and around him, noticing some kind of yellow boundary line around him in the shape of a square He scratched his chin in thought, wondering just what was keeping him inside.

Then, he collected a small stone from off the ground and threw it forward. Just as it seemed it would pass over the boundary line, the stone struck against some kind of invisible wall and was destroyed. This led Ace to presume he was trapped inside of a barrier of some kind, along with Jack.

"How did we get here" he murmured softly, "and for that matter…where are the girls?!" Anxious, Ace looked all around him to see if he could find any sign of the Loud Sisters. Upon doing so, a voice suddenly called out to him.

 _"Whatever is the matter, young champion"_ the voice chuckled, _"thou dost seem rather confused; mayhaps, thou hast misplaced something."_ After that statement, Ace was suddenly blinded by a strong flash of light. After his vision cleared, a moment later; he picked himself up and looked over the side from where he stood.

There, he saw a sight that almost made his eyes pop from out his head; a Chess board as large as a football field. On said board, within the left side, stood all ten of the Loud Sisters; all of whom appeared unharmed. "What is all this" he exclaimed in confusion, "what are they doing there and why am I in this cell?"

Another light suddenly turned on, revealing the Black King and White King standing upon a grand balcony ahead of him. "We hope you enjoyed your respite, Sirrah" the Black King said smugly, "t'would be most unfortunate for thee to miss our game." Ace rubbed his eyes tiredly, asking what "game" the king was referring to.

"Is the field not an obvious enough sign" the White King stated, gesturing at the field below. "You see, young detective; thou hast vexed us for far too long" growled the Black King, "the time has come to, at last dispose of thee; once and for all time!" Much to Ace's surprise; the Kings' demeanor quickly changed to a calm, dignified visage.

"However…we are fair and just lords" said the White King, "and we shall grant thee one chance to earn thyself an appropriate fate." Upon saying this, a light turned on at the right side of the field; revealing the rest of the Chess Court. "To settle our quarrel, the lot of you shall face us upon the field of honor" the Black King decreed.

Many thoughts ran through Ace's mind; confusion, worry, resentment towards the kings for treating him and his friends like game pieces. These feelings filled Ace with such fury, he made an attempt to break free from his holding cell. But just before he could move even an inch, the Black King pressed what looked like a small button atop his scepter.

Upon doing so, a sudden blast of electricity zapped One-Eyed Jack and half of the Full House Gang. The sounds of their shrieks of pain echoed loudly in Ace's ears. Finally, after only eight seconds of this display; he begged the Black King to stop.

"Let that serve as a warning" he chuckled maliciously, "make any further attempt to challenge us and your friends' end shall be swift." Sensing there was no other alternative, Ace had no choice but to submit to his opponents…for now. "What sick game do you have in mind, you Ren Faire dropouts" he growled, "are you going to have the Loud Sisters fight you?"

The Black King showed no emotion towards Ace's insult and instead replied in saying, "we shall duel one another in a manner that most befits our court, a _Human…_ Chess Match." This revelation caused Ace and many of the Full House Gang's members to collectively murmur in confusion. Only Card Counter appeared to understand their current situation, something the Kings quickly took notice of.

"It appears that only one of you comprehends thy situation" chortled the White King smugly, "mayhaps _she_ can properly elucidate for thee." Though the Gang despised the condescending tone of his voice, the king appeared correct. Lisa/Card Counter _was_ the youngest Chess champion in the world, the only one to best all of her elder sisters _and_ her parents at the game.

With that in mind, they turned to her for further insight on the Court's sick idea of "fun." "What's the deal, Lil Dudette" whispered Night Club, "any deets you can give us on this 'Human Chess' thing?" On other occasions, the wee genius would've rolled her eyes and answer in a dry manner.

But she pushed those feelings deep inside of her, believing it was best to keep everyone together; both physically _and_ emotionally. "Our current situation is not too different from the Chess games we would play at home" Card Counter explained, "this time, however; _we_ are pieces on the board!" Royal Flush gave a bored groan, demanding to know how such information would help _them_.

"Were you not listening" Card Counter cried exasperatedly, "we are pieces in this game and so are the members of the Court!" It did not take Ace long to comprehend everything; "so, all we have to do is beat _them_ by moving the same way the regular pieces would" he exclaimed. At last, everyone understood what to do…but a severe flaw was soon found in the plan.

"The only one who really knows how to play is Card Counter" Strong Suit stated, "the rest of us could barely last a few moves against her." The wee genius in question couldn't help but smile, inwardly recollecting all the times she rose to victory over her family in Chess. No one could best her skill, not even the college students at the university.

But Ace told them that skill was exactly what he was counting on. Everyone looked at him in confusion, wondering just what he was plotting. "Listen, I know that many of us aren't that good at the game" Ace whispered, "heck…before his murder, my dad always managed to beat _me_ at it. But with Lisa's help, we _can_ do this!

Everyone looked at him then Card Counter and then, at each other in silent worry. Finally, after considering the idea, High Card agreed to play. "What's your game, everybody" she called out to the Chess Court, "we're ready to play whenever you are."

The White King chuckled softly and disabled the shields around their holding cells. "Tis quite simple, actually" he stated, "the twelve of you will face us in a game of Human Chess." After that statement, the White King rose from his seat and continued the terms.

"If you emerge the victors, we shall release all our captives and retreat from this land; never to return" he decreed. The Full House Gang all murmured amongst, feeling mildly satisfied with the terms. "But should you lose the game" the Black King interjected, "you will swear to forsake your heroic identities and become pawns in our court….forever!"

Naturally, they felt terrified at the idea of losing and some members of the Gang considered retreating. "Don't give in to fear, everyone" High Card urged determinedly, "we've faced bigger and meaner people than these guys before, haven't we?" There was a collective murmur of agreement amongst some of the sisters, after that statement.

"Our elder sister speaks the truth, everyone" Card Counter called out, "after all the other foes we've defeated, are we going to really let the likes of them intimidate us?" There was another outcry of agreement; this time, with much more feeling and determination. "As long as we stand together, we _can_ win this" Ace assured, giving everyone a thumbs up.

With that final statement, everyone felt a fire burn within their bellies; one that filled them with the drive they needed to go forward. But just as the Full House Gang prepared to ready themselves for the game, several concerns were brought up on both sides. "If we _are_ going to challenge you, I'm not letting Lil' Deuce get involved" High Card said firmly.

She went on to say that even though her sister _was_ part of the team and an active hero, she was still a baby. The White King considered this and prepared to grant the babe leniency…until the Black King intervened. "If she can best our knights with her…odiferous leavings; she can, surely hold her own in a duel against our forces" he decreed.

Just as the Black King prepared to make this official, the White King quickly stopped him. "The lass speaks the truth" he stated, "though the child is resourceful, we cannot allow a little one to fight our forces on her own." With that said, he granted High Card permission for herself and Deuce to work in unison during the duel.

Everyone felt great relief towards this decision, some of them even began to think the court wasn't all that bad. But all that changed slightly; when the Black King, once again, interjected. "We shall grant thee this one instant of leniency" he grumbled, " _however_...due to this turn of events, you lack the proper number pieces to face us!"

Card Counter gasped, drew out a calculator, observed their side of the board and began typing. Much to her dismay, she discovered that the king was right. "With High Card and Deuce working as partners, that leaves us six people short" she cried, "we don't have enough to fight them all!"

Just as all hope seemed lost, Ace quickly calmed Card Counter down and smiled at her. "We aren't out yet" he whispered, "I think it's time to…make a call." Card Counter took a moment to let Ace's words sink in and then, just as he said the word "call;" he tapped his ace emblem.

Now, in Poker; when someone makes a call, it means that they wish to add more chips to the pot. For the Full House Gang, the term held another meaning. "Do you think they'll come" questioned Card Counter softly, "who knows if our communicators still work?"

The look of determination on Ace's face was all that she needed for reassurance. With that; Card Counter, Ace and the rest of the team pressed the emblems on their clothing in unison. This, in turn sent a radio signal to multiple areas.

The first one traveled back to the base beneath the Fortress of Solitaire, where Rita and Lynn Sr. sat in the common room; anxious about their daughters and Ace's safety. "Oh, my God" the Loud Patriarch murmured fearfully, "it's been hours and they still haven't come home yet." After that, his mind began to slip into a downward spiral of worry.

"Maybe the Court caught them…maybe they're…they're…" With a pained expression, Rita slapped her husband swiftly across the face; snapping him out of his tirade. " _GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF, LYNN"_ shrieked Rita, "our girls are tougher than they look…and Spade and Jackson are with them, they'll keep 'em safe."

Lynn's nerves slowly began to calm down, upon hearing her words. "You're right, honey" he sighed, "besides…if anything went wrong, they'd call us." After that was said, the couple began to share a loving embrace; feeling secure, once again.

But this touching moment quickly ended before it even began. For just as the two elder Louds prepared to share a warm kiss, the alarm sounded off; stopping them. Without a moment's pause, Rita quickly turned on the computer/TV.

After a few seconds, they could hear sounds of radio frequency tuning and an image of Ace's card suit appeared on the screen. _"Ace to Base…can anyone hear me"_ the young hero murmured, _"repeat: this is Ace Savvy calling Base, can anyone read me?"_ Relieved to hear his voice after so long, Lynn frantically searched for the intercom button

After almost a minute of finding nothing, Rita cleared her throat and pointed to a small device sitting on the coffee table; which was covered by her husband's cooking magazines. With a shy chuckle, Lynn Sr. quickly cleared away the pile and pressed the button. "This is Base, we read you…what's happening up there?" he asked, "we were wondering if you all got hurt…or worse" added Rita fearfully.

Ace chuckled softly, feeling touched by their concern and quickly assured the two Loud Parents that they were safe…for the moment. _"We're in a bit of a pickle, now"_ he murmured, _"the Court captured us and they're forcing us to face them in a game of Chess."_ Lynn Sr. gave a deep sigh, feeling relieved that they weren't in any real danger.

 _"You misunderstood me"_ Ace interjected, _"the game we are playing is a_ human _Chess Match; meaning that your daughters, Jack and I have to face off against members of the Court themselves."_ This revelation filled the Loud Parents with such dread, Lynn Sr. almost fainted. "So, what did you call _us_ for" questioned Rita, "do you want us to get help?"

 _"That is precisely why we are calling, Mother"_ Card Counter's voice chimed in suddenly, _"the time has come to build our hand, as we say."_ She then went on to ask if they still kept a pair of her earlier suit prototypes at the house. _"If you happen to find them, I believe it's time to put them to use"_ Card Counter stated and the frequency went silent, after that.

After that, the two elder Louds proceeded towards what looked like a large bookcase. But after pulling back on one of the books, it suddenly slide off to the side; revealing a hidden room. Inside were two uniforms, both of which were designed as royal attire.

There were two royal capes and crowns on the mannequins, two scepters resting against them and both of them had red gloves and boots bearing hearts upon them. "Are we sure we should be doing this" murmured Lynn Sr. worriedly, "our daughters have more hero experience than we do." Rita stepped into the room and silently rested her hand upon the mannequin wearing the queen attire.

"That's true" she murmured, "most normal families worry about their daughters getting bullied at school, getting good grades, having bad relationships and so forth." Upon saying this, Rita turned around and looked at all the photos hanging on the wall behind Lynn Sr. All the random moments of love, sorrow, merriment and genuine craziness hung there and they were enough for her to make her decision.

"The fact is…we're _not_ a normal family, though" she chuckled softly, "we're the Louds; the craziest, wildest and most spontaneous family in America!" After that, she proceeded to don her uniform…but not before Lynn quickly shielded his eyes. "We may not be heroes like our daughters, Lynn" she decreed, "but we _are_ parents and parents are meant to be their children's heroes, no matter what."

After a few moments of changing…and trying to understand the functions of her utility belt, Rita Loud was ready. "The Chess Court won't be the only ones with kings and queens beside them tonight" she said proudly, as she placed her crown upon her head. After seeing how determined his wife was, Lynn decided she was right; it _was_ time for them to take action.

Within moments, both the elder Louds were dressed and ready. Rita drew out a small handful of heart-shaped throwing weapons from her belt and threw them forward, nailing several targets at once. With a proud smile on her face and her staff in hand, a small comic blurb appeared beneath her; bearing her new name.

 **The Queen of Hearts**

As for Lynn; he tapped the base of _his_ scepter upon the ground, thus causing the heart-shaped tip to morph into an axe-like blade. He then approached a series of training dummies, hoisted his weapon over his shoulder and gave it a few strong swings. When the dust settled, every dummy was either beheaded or torn to shreds.

Lynn felt proud of his skills, believing that no one could mess with him now. "Time to go and show the court they've messed with the wrong family" he chuckled, changing his axe/scepter back to its original look. Much like with his wife, a comic blurb appeared beneath him; showing off his new title.

 **The King of Hearts**

The two Loud Parents felt reborn in their superhero personas. But something suddenly came into mind that quickly changed Rita's thoughts from confidence to worry. "Stupid" she grumbled, "Lori took the van, how else are we gonna get to where Ace and the girls are?!" As if on cue, a voice suddenly called out through their television; much like before.

This time, it wasn't Ace or any of the Loud Sisters calling but it was still quite familiar. _"Bodega to Louds"_ murmured a young voice, _"Bodega to Louds, does anyone read me?"_ Rita quickly recognized the voice to be that of young Ronalda "Ronnie Anne" Santiago; the younger sister to Lori's boyfriend, Bobby.

Without pause, Rita hurried to the intercom and pressed the button. "This is Loud Base; we read you loud and clear" she murmured, "wish circumstances were a bit more pleasant to hear your voice, dear." Ronnie Anne let out a deep sigh, also feeling distressed by the situation they were in.

 _"I just got the call from High Card and the team"_ she stated, " _sounds like the gang's in a bit of a jam."_ Upon saying this, Rita quickly began to explain what had happened thus far. To say that Ronnie Anne was shocked would've been an understatement. _"Something tells me these are the same creeps who took Bobby"_ she growled, _"in which case, you can count me in to help."_

Though they applauded the preteen's enthusiasm, Rita and Lynn wondered just what she could do to help. But unknown to them, Ronnie Anne had a bit of a secret. You see, everyone; Ace and the Full House Gang, long ago entrusted their superhero secret to a select few of people.

Aside from Lynn, Rita and the McBride couple, Harold and Howard; there were six others whom Ace entrusted their identities to. Of course; in exchange, these six asked to join the Full House Gang in their cause. Though Card Counter felt hesitant at the idea, at first; they all, eventually came into an agreement.

Thus was born the Gang's special reserve team of heroes. The first of these six was Ronnie Anne, who proceeded to search for something from the drawers beneath her bed. In time, she found what he had been searching for; a medium-sized, multi-colored Roulette wheel.

She placed the wheel upon the floor, gave it a spin and a rainbow-colored whirlwind appeared. Thankfully, said whirlwind wasn't strong enough to cause any damage to her room…or cause any noise. With a confident smile, Ronnie Anne leapt into the whirlwind and was soon enveloped by all of its colors.

When the whirlwind faded away, the young preteen stood in the middle of her room; fully dressed in her superhero garb. She wore a black mask over her face that had red heart designs over her eyes. Her suit was also red with a roulette wheel printed on her chest.

Her gloves and shoes were both green and she wore a pair of black leather pants. Once dressed, Ronnie Anne plucked her roulette wheel from off the ground and strapped it to her back. She then approached her window and proceeded to slide down the fire escape.

Upon reaching the bottom, she backflipped into the air and a comic blurb appeared beneath her; revealing her name. 

******Madame Roulette**

Far from the city, in what looked like a small ranch; a team of cowboys were seen playing a friendly game of darts. One of them carefully steadied his arm and focused his line of sighed on the target ahead. While this was going on; one member of the gang, a mustachioed cowboy in black, gave a deep sigh of boredom.

"Land sakes, Jake" groaned the man, "you take any longer to shoot and the rest of us will start growin' cobwebs." This statement caused the other gang members to chuckle playfully, while Jake simply shrugged off their teasing. "Like my Grandpappy used to say, 'you try shootin' blindly, you ain't gonna have eyes left to still see with'" Jake murmured with a soft smile, steadying his arm.

Just as the cowboy prepared to launch the dart, a soft beeping rang out. This caused Jake to suddenly lose concentration and throw his dart too soon, which then proceeded to ricochet off the wall and strike the hat right off the head of the man in black. Thankfully, the man was unharmed but he was still quite miffed.

"Watch yourself, boy" he grumbled, plucking off the dart; "this here is my good hat, if it gets ruined…I'm gonna tan your hide and mail you to Mama!" From the looks on everyone's faces, they knew that this fellow was not making any jokes with his threat. Jake sweated nervously, as he made a desperate attempt to save himself.

"I swears, Boss; it ain't my fault" he cried, "that dang thingamawhosit over yonder done fouled up my aim." The man in black turned to where Jake was pointing and saw a red light flashing on an old rotary phone that sat on the kitchen counter. This signal filled him with a small sense of dread, as if he knew what the call was.

The man stood up from his seat, approached the phone, pressed the red button and quickly answered it. "Howdy" he said into the phone, "if it's another telemarketer, I ain't interested in anything ya got!" A familiar voice chuckled on the other end, as if they knew the man was joking.

 _"It's not a salesperson, Willy"_ Ace's voice murmured on the line, _"just an old friend dropping a line is all."_ The man in black, named Willy gave a soft chuckle in reply and signaled to his gang that all was well. "If'n you're callin' us, it must mean you're in a whole mess o' trouble…again" Willy said playfully, "what'cha need, friend?"

 _"You know about the Chess Court and all they've been doing, right"_ questioned Ace, his inquiry was answered by a collective murmur of disgust on the other end. _"That's a definite yup right there"_ Willy replied, _"them fools took some good friends of mine hostage and I aim to take 'em back…the hard way!"_ For those unaware; once, long ago, there was a time where Ace and Wild Card were once the most bitter of enemies.

But after defeating the villainous card-slinger in battle so many times; Ace, upon capturing him, asked why the villain spent so much time in committing acts of evil. "I'm not an evil guy" he mumbled sullenly, "I was just dealt a bad hand; as a lonely kid, the only game I knew was Solitaire." Sensing the true pain in his words, Ace and One-Eyed Jack did something truly unexpected; they chose to show mercy to Willy.

From that act of compassion, the crook then changed his ways and swiftly became one of the Full House Gang's strongest allies. _"We're in a bit of a jam here, old dude"_ Night Club called out, _"while tryin' to sneak in and rescue all the captives, the Chess Court caught us!"_ On his end, Willy clutched his fingers tight around his phone; deeply troubled by this news.

"Where are ya now" he asked, "y'all ain't hurt or nothin', is ya?" Card Counter, disregarding the man's use of old west slang, informed Willy about their current situation. _"To put it simply, we are all unharmed"_ she explained, _"but we are currently being forced to partake in a game of Human Chess against the Court."_

Confused, Willy asked how this scenario involved them calling _him._ _"We're in dire need of help, Willy"_ Ace stated, _"we need a few more people to help us on our side of the board and that's where you come in."_ After showing him kindness so long ago; Willy was always ready and raring to help the Full House Gang, if they ever needed him.

But this was the one time he began to doubt himself. "Ya sure you need _me_ to help ya" Willy murmured, "my Pappy always tried to get me to play Chess, growin' up. But I couldn't make heads or tails of all the dang pieces on the dang board." The other members of Willy's gang all called out from behind him in agreement, upon hearing him.

 _"This isn't your Pappy's game of Chess, though"_ Ace informed, _"because instead of wooden pieces,_ we're _the ones being used in the game!"_ This revelation surprised Willy, he'd heard about the idea of Human Chess…but never actually saw it play out before. "I'm not sure if'n I'll be of much help" he confessed, "but a good man never leaves comrades behind…I'll be right there!"

Ace thanked Willy for agreeing to help and the signal quickly went dead, a second later. After the call ended, Willy proceeded to rouse up the rest of his posse. "Shake the sand outta your britches, boys" he shouted, "there's trouble a-brewin' and our friends need some help stoppin' it."

Several of the gang members hooted loudly with anticipation, eager to take part in some action. With that, they rushed outside and headed towards what looked like a stable. There, they mounted up on a small pack of stallions.

To the untrained eye, these would look like completely ordinary horses. But in truth, they were specially designed techno-organic machines designed to _look_ like them; invented by none other than Lisa Loud (alias Card Counter. The term "techno-organic" derived from how the mounts behaved and how they were powered.

Through months of research, study and test trials; Lisa made these creations to behave exactly like typical horses. But they had many unique features hidden beneath their glossy coats. Such as facial and retinal recognition scanners, magnetic horseshoes that allowed them to run up walls, a stomp attack that would create a sonic wave across the ground, voice recognition to their designated riders.

But the most impressive feature was their fuel source. While most machines required gasoline, oil or other fossil fuels to power them. These stallions received power from the simplest of sources; a horse's favorite foods, oats and apples. Once consumed, the wastes would be recycled into clean fuel; allowing the stallions to move for long periods (more so than an automobile.)

After Willy and his gang properly fed their mounts, they saddled up and headed on out. "Get a move on, boys" cried Willy, "who knows what them crooks are doin' to Ace and the gang." As they rode off into the distance, a comic blurb appeared beneath their horses.

 **Wild Card Willy and the Texas Hold 'Em Gang**

Elsewhere, on a small farm within Royal Woods; a young redheaded boy was busy attending to a pack of pigs. "Here's your viddles, everybody" he said with a smile, spreading out some slop; "make sure y'all share." After his job was done; the young farm boy, known as Liam, proceeded back into his house.

He took off his farm shoes in the mudroom, entered the kitchen, collected an apple off the counter and proceeded up to his room while munching it. Upon entering said room, Liam suddenly heard a faint beeping from somewhere close by. He tossed several pieces of clothes hither and yon, until he finally found the source of the noise.

On his desk, he spotted his cellphone and on the Caller ID, he saw a familiar ace icon flashing. Much like with Ronnie Anne, Ace and the Full House Gang entrusted their identities to a select few of trustworthy people (whom we will meet, very soon.)

Upon befriending the heroes, Liam was given the opportunity to aid them; whenever called upon. "Howdy, y'all doin' alright up there" murmured Liam, picking up his phone. _"We're in a bit of a pickle, pal"_ replied the voice of One-Eyed Jack on the other end, _"me and the rest of the Gang have been captured by the Chess Court!"_

Liam gasped in alarm and asked if they were safe, despite their situation. _"We're all safe…for now"_ Ace's voice called out, _"but we're in a bit of trouble here."_ After giving Liam the details of their situation, he was anxious to head out and help. _"That is excellent to hear, my agricultural ally"_ Card Counter stated, _"do you still have the device Ace gave you a long time ago?"_

Upon being asked this, Liam proceeded to search his desk. Then, realization struck him like a kick to the head from one of his livestock. "I stowed it in my desk fer safe keepin'" he exclaimed, heading toward his drawers.

He took a moment to recall which one he stored Card Counter's "doodad" inside of. Finally, he reached his hand for the top drawer and opened it swiftly; revealing what looked like medallion. Now, you all may be thinking that this was just a piece of bling…or lack there of.

But as Liam placed the medallion around his neck and pressed his hand against the dice symbol upon it, a startling transformation occurred. Soon, his body was enveloped within a blinding light. When it eventually, faded away; Liam stood proud wearing a black and white suit, a matching black and white thermal hood over his head and ears, a black mask and white gloves and boots.

Where the medallion once hung was now a large dice symbol for the number six upon his chest. This same symbol was seen on his gloves, belt and shoes. With a hearty chuckle, Liam pressed his hand upon the six symbol on his chest and the room was suddenly occupied by twelve copies of himself.

Suited up and ready to roll, Liam told Ace he was ready for some action over his phone. _"Excellent"_ murmured Card Counter, _"hurry on towards Main Street, Willy and his posse will meet you there."_ Understanding his orders, Liam headed towards his window and gave a whistle; which was quickly overheard by a large pig.

Said pig leapt out of its sty and rushed towards the house, stopping beneath Liam's window. With a loud "yee-haw," the young boy jumped out and landed atop the pig's back. "Good catch there, Virginia" he chuckled, stroking the pig's neck, "best get a move on, our pals are in trouble."

The pig, Virginia snorted in understanding and rushed off into the distance. Upon leaping over the fence, a comic blurb bearing his name appeared.

 **Boxcars**

Next, the signal traveled off to a small house that stood between the freeway and the circus. Within this house was a young boy named Zach Gurdle. He was often known as a "nerdy" boy, enjoying astronomical studies and "geeky" programs on TV.

So, you could imagine the shock on his face, when Ace Savvy and the Full House Gang entrusted their secret with him and his friends. Zach's joy grew even higher, when they asked him to join their cause. However, he did not immediately jump at the opportunity right away.

He asked the heroes what they could possibly want in someone like _him_ of all people. To which Card Counter replied in saying she and Ace alone could not think their way out of situations. They needed another hero who could also think quickly on his feet and keep a cool head.

There was one minor issue, however; what sort of identity should he have. Lynn was quick to point out (rather smugly, I might add) that all the best card titles were already taken; either by _themselves_ or their enemies. To which, One-Eyed Jack suggested a new identity and whispered his idea to Card Counter.

Within three weeks time, after that; she had made a special battle suit for Zach. This suit had a white strip across the chest, a black face mask and a matching pairs of white shoes and gloves. On his chest and mask was a round Billiard Ball bearing the number "8" in bold black fabric.

Zach looked at the suit confusedly and asked if that was all Card Counter could think of. To which she explained that it was made of a special, flexible and bouncy (as Leni and Lily pointed out) type of rubber that she had invented. After donning the suit, Zach was instructed to run up against the wall.

When he questioned the young genius about the request, Ace assured him that he would be safe. With a nervous gulp, Zach rushed forward as fast as he was able and everyone collectively shouted, "JUMP!" Upon doing so, Zach began to ricochet off the walls and even the ceiling.

Of course; despite a successful first try, the experience felt slightly painful. It was then that Lynn suggested to Zach that he should try curling himself into a ball. That way, it would reduce any risk of his limbs or head being hurt.

Zach took a moment to consider Lynn's advice; then, he decided to try it. Like before; he ran forward, took a leap and curled himself into a ball shape. Upon touching the wall, Zach began bouncing and bounding off the many surfaces around him.

At one point, Charles got excited and mistook him for one of his toys and prepared to leap for Zach. But Royal Flush quickly stepped in and held the hound back by his leash, before Charles could get too far. After a few more bounces; Zach, finally managed to stop himself.

After several weeks of proper training, the latest addition to the Full House Gang's deck was born. 

**The 8 Ball**

Returning to present day; upon dressing himself, 8 Ball bounded off to the point where he would meet his ride. Finally, the last radio signal traveled to a house within the suburbs of Royal Woods. In this house were two boys; the eldest, Rocky and his younger brother, Rocky.

Both boys were seen in their living room, partaking in another Bro vs. Bro video game session. Just as it looked like Rocky was moments away from besting his brother, a shrill beeping sound rang out. This sudden noise caused Rocky to suddenly lose his concentration, allowing Rusty to seize his moment.

With a wave of his controller, the game character on the screen delivered a powerful uppercut; knocking out his opponent. The screen then flashed the words "Winner, Player One" and was followed by a triumphant musical score. Rusty, in a huff, lightly threw his controller against the sofa.

"Sorry, Baby Bro" chuckled Rocky, "maybe you'll have better luck next time." With the game over, the Elder Spokes boy proceeded to get himself a "victory soda." "You _know_ I almost had you, Rusty" grumbled Rocky, turning off the game; "I would've won, if that dumb beeping didn't distract me!"

Before Rusty could refute his brother's comment; he, finally overheard the same noise Rocky did. After searching for a minute and a half for the source, the boys found something on the coffee table. It was a small earphone, shaped in the likeness of an Ace icon.

Much to both their shock, it was almost buried deep beneath piles of chip bags and a soda bottle. "How did this almost get covered up" exclaimed Rocky, "I thought you brought it back to your room for safe keeping!?" Rusty sheepishly ruffled his hair and murmured how he might've "forgotten" about it, over the past week.

Disregarding his elder brother's minor moment of irresponsibility, he placed the device in his ear and pressed the button. Upon doing so, Jack's voice suddenly rang through the lad's eardrums. _"Hello…can anyone read me"_ he murmured, the two boys immediately recognized the voice and replied with a soft "yes."

 _"I'm glad I caught you two…we're in a bit of a pickle"_ mumbled Jack worriedly, _"Ace, the girls and I have just been captured by the Chess Court."_ At that moment, Rocky overheard Lucy's voice moaning softly in pain on the other end. With concern overwhelming him, he roughly took the earphone from Rusty and placed it inside of _his_ ear.

"Lucy…Lucy, can you hear me" he murmured anxiously, "please, tell me you're alright…please." After a few moments of silence, the wee Goth's voice softly whispered into his ear. _"Don't you worry, Rocky"_ her voice said reassuringly, _"I'm fine…a little dazed still from being knocked out but still okay."_

Rocky heaved out a deep sigh of relief, happy that his gal pal/crush was safe. "I overheard Jack talking to Rusty" he stated, "you guys are tough enough on your own, what do you need _us_ for?" Card Counter suddenly interjected, explaining how their side lacked the appropriate number of "pieces" to fight the Court.

 _"We need you guys to suit up and help us"_ Eight of Spades added, this revelation made Rusty sweat slightly in nervousness. "Neither of us knows how to play Chess" he confessed, "what help could _we_ possibly be?" While it was true that they were not as good as the High School or Middle School Chess Club, the Full House Gang still urged the boys to help them.

 _"Any help you can give will be alright, boys"_ murmured Eight of Spade's voice, _"if we don't do this and win, Court will make us all into mindless slaves like all their other prisoners."_ Now, even before he learned about her superhero secret; Rocky had a particular soft spot for Lucy Loud. Most boys her age were put off by her Gothic interests but not him.

Once she told him her secret; Rocky would sorely fear for Lucy's safety, whenever she would be out on missions. But then, the day came when he and Rusty were asked to join with them in the fight against evil. Naturally, both of them accepted but for different reasons.

Rusty joined the Full House Gang to add some adventure into his life. Rocky did so as well but, at the same time, wanted to be there and protect Lucy; if she ever needed it and this seemed to be one of those times. "You can count on us, everybody" Rocky assured, Rusty joined in with a triumphant holler.

 _"Excellent"_ murmured Card Counter, _"I do hope you have the suits I made you safely stored away?"_ Upon hearing this, Rocky looked suspiciously at his brother; as if thinking he may have "misplaced" them. But Rusty gave an offended "harrumph" and revealed that he stored them in his bedroom trunk.

With that, they hurried into the room and Rusty pulled out a large chest from his closet. After unlocking it, the boys carefully cleared away some things until they found what they wanted; a small briefcase bearing a number lock. "You got the code, Bro" questioned Rusty, to which Rocky presented a small piece of paper from a dresser drawer.

After taking a moment to carefully input the code, the case opened; revealing a pair of suits. They were both red and black colored with thermal hoods, goggles, red and black gloves, black boots and both suits had specially designed belt buckles. After dressing themselves, both boys snapped on their belts and raced out the door.

After which, they pressed their buckles and something astonishing began to occur. Suddenly, Rocky began to grow one-hundred times his size; while Rusty shrank to the near size of a mouse. "Careful there, Bro" Rocky chuckled, "shrink any more and I might not be able to find you.

Rusty grumbled bitterly, wondering why _he_ was given the shrinking belt and not the growth one. "It'll take the enemy by surprise" Rocky replied, "villains would never expect the _little_ brother to become so huge, right?" Though he hated to admit it, Rusty felt his brother _did_ have a point.

"C'mon, we gotta hurry to the rendezvous point to meet with the others" he stated, leaping onto his brother's palm. As Rocky stomped off ahead, a comic blurb appeared beneath him; revealing their names.

 **Gin and Rummy**

In time, Boxcars and 8 Ball met up at Main Street; with Gin and Rummy arriving not a moment later. "Nice to see ya, fellers" Boxcars greeted warmly, "y'all ready for a good ol' fashioned rumble?" Though nervous at the idea, at first; 8 Ball gave his friend a thumbs up in response.

"There's just one problem, guys" Gin interjected, "how are we gonna get to Ace and the Gang, none of us can drive." With these words, irony struck them all like a blow to the head. Just then; as if in answer to their plight, they suddenly spotted a band of riders heading past them.

The leader of these riders, Wild Card Willy, waved frantically at the boys ahead. "Why drive when you can ride, boys" he chuckled, as he and his posse began to snatch each of the young heroes off the curb. "Thanks for the pick up, Sir" 8 Ball said gratefully, "but where do we go from here?"

Willy smiled at the boy and pointed at a small screen on his horse's neck. "After she contacted us, Card Counter pinpointed their location into our stallions" he stated, "all we have to do is follow the trail." With that, the horses reared back with a loud whinny and took off like a flash.

Meanwhile; back at the Chess Field, the Court was beginning to grow rather impatient in waiting for their opponents to be ready. "I grow weary of waiting, knaves" grumbled the Black King, "if your side of the field is not filled accordingly within five minutes time, we begin immediately." Something in the man's features showed Ace that he was not joking with his threat.

"I doubt they'll even make it in time" grumbled Strong Suit, slowly growing anxious. Meanwhile, the Black King sat upon his throne; gazing at a small hourglass. As the sand slowly began to run out, a wicked smile crossed his face.

"The time has come, churls" he decreed, raising his scepter into the air. Just then, everyone overheard the sound of stampeding horse hooves approaching. After that, what looked to be a chamberlain suddenly raised onto the chess field.

The White and Black Queens glowered down at the servant, demanding the reason for his intrusion. "Apologies, Your Excellencies" the chamberlain murmured fearfully while bowing his head, "but intruders have begun to invade the main garden outside the palace!" As if on cue, a pack of mechanical horses suddenly charged through the postern (or back gate) of the palace and onto the field.

The Full House Gang beamed with joy, as their comrades dramatically dismounted off their mounts and rushed to their sides. Madame Roulette gazed upward and saw Ace and Jack trapped within their cells. "Nice to see you boys are still in one piece" she chortled heartily, "sorry we're late, one of the stallions got hungry and needed a snack break.

She gestured towards one of the members of the Texas Hold 'Em Gang, who was currently feeding an apple to his steed. Ace simply gave a gentle wave, assuring everyone that he knew they were all on their way. Gin and Rummy then cast their eyes upward and saw the Court looking down at them.

"So, that's the infamous 'Chess Court'" inquired Rummy with a soft scoff, "they don't look as tough as the news makes them out to be." One of the Black Rooks snarled viciously at the young hero and threw his spear in anger at him, just missing his head. The weapon _did_ , however manage to scratch off a few locks of his red hair.

The lad gave out a yelp of surprise, touching his hair frantically; as if searching for signs of scarring. "Bro…worry about your head later" Gin called out, "we have a job to do." As the Rooks prepared to advance, the Black King quickly called for silence.

Afterward, he proceeded to mentally count each member of the Full House Gang and their allies separately. After several moments, he made his decision. "With the added presence of these intruders" he began, "Ace Savvy and his compatriots now have the necessary number of pieces for their side of the board…they may play!"

Upon saying this, a White Knight suddenly approached him and kneeled respectfully. "All due respect, my Lord" the knight stated, "their number of allies exceeds the appropriate number of pieces required to be in a Chess game." Upon taking examination of the roster, the White King saw that his knight spoke the truth.

"It don't mean squat if there's too many of us" declared Boxcars, "we came here to defend our amigos and we're a-gonna do it!" The White and Black Monarchs stared down at their opponents and devised a solution. "Take each of your compatriots into consideration, Ace Savvy" suggested the Black King, "decide which among them shall provide the perfect battle skills needed to assist you…but choose wisely."

Again, the Chess game was put on hold; this time to decide which members of the heroes would stand and fight. "There's no way you guys are kicking _me_ out" declared Madame Roulette, "if these guys have Bobby, I'm gonna beat them senseless until they tell me where he is!" The King and Queen of Hearts also decreed they'd be staying on the board.

"You kids are always working so hard to protect the city" Queen of Hearts said proudly, "it's high time we helped return the favor." Her husband nodded enthusiastically, showing off a small series of ax swings with his weapon. Gin gave Eight of Spades a concerned look and decreed he would stay in as well.

"No way, Bro" Rummy interjected, "you're just a kid and our folks would kill me, if you got hurt!" This led to the two boys having a small verbal spat with one another. Finally; after much talk and debating, a decision was made.

"Our side shall consist of me, Jack, the Full House Gang, the King and Queen of Hearts, Madame Roulette and 8 Ball" Ace decreed. This caused Boxcars, Gin and Rummy to grumble in disappointment. "Trust us, fellas" Strong Suit stated, "you guys are our reserve team…if these guys try anything funny, we'll need _you_ for immediate backup."

At first, they still felt bothered by not being permitted to join in the game. But then, each of the boys realized that the Court might not live up to the promises they made; if they lost. With this in mind, Boxcars gave them a grin and a thumbs up for support.

Meanwhile, Gin gazed down sadly at the ground; feeling like he was being underestimated. But then, Eight of Spades approached the boy and did something that even her family didn't expect…she hugged him, close and tight.

"It's not that we don't believe you can help us, Rocky" whispered Eight of Spades, "I just can't bear the idea of you getting hurt because of me or my family." Gin said nothing, for he was frozen stiff with delight from her embrace. Finally, Gin snapped out of his daze and returned Eight of Spades' hug.

"It's okay…I understand" he murmured reassuringly, "just be careful up there, okay?" The wee hooded Goth gave a soft nod and a smile in response, before rejoining the others on the board. With Ace's side now filled, everyone hurried off to each of their respective squares.

The Black King smiled cruelly, slammed the pommel of his scepter onto the ground and all the lights suddenly shut off. When they turned back on, three seconds later; the entire court was seen on the right side of the chessboard. Royal Flush gasped in awe, calling what they did a "feat of magic.

Card Counter could only roll her eyes sarcastically, mildly amused by her sister's naivety. The board was set, all the pieces were now in place; all that remained was for someone to make the call. With a soft smile and a chuckle, the Black Kings and Queens began the game with one simple phrase; "let the game begin."

(AN: PHEW! Man alive, this was the longest chapter I've written yet for anything I've done. So sorry, everybody for taking so long; I needed to think very carefully on what each of the new characters should be like. I've already got the right ideas for Boxcars, 8 Ball and both Gin and Rummy's abilities.

But at the moment, I'm struggling on what Madame Roulette's abilities should be. As you already know, the name Roulette is quite popular amongst Loud House/Ace Savvy writers and artists. But I wanted to do something different than everyone else's ideas.

Aside from her look, Ronnie Anne/Madame Roulette has a mini Roulette wheel for a shield-like weapon. I'm torn with having it be a typical Captain America-style throwing shield or for it to have some sort of hidden tricks linked to Roulette. Tell me which you would prefer, everyone and let me know in your reviews.

If you prefer the latter idea for Madame Roulette's shield, tell me how you think Roulette would tie into her powers. Thank you in advance and enjoy reading.)


	16. Chapter Fourteen: Make Your Move

Make Your Move

The atmosphere on both sides of the board felt uncomfortably thick. So much so, one could carve it with a knife and barely dent the surface. As the Chess Court properly armed themselves for the battle to come, so too did the Full House Gang and their allies. "I have a bad feeling about this, everybody" murmured 8 Ball, struggling to maintain his composure.

Sensing his discomfort, Ace placed a hand upon his shoulder; assuring him that he won't be fighting alone. Meanwhile, the Court conversed amongst themselves; discussing battle strategy. Finally, after everyone was in their places; the game was ready to begin.

"Seeing as though you are our…'guests'" commented the Black Queen, struggling on the final word; "we shall grant thee the first move…choose wisely." With that, Card Counter began to make a series of calculations. This, of course took a great deal of time and several members of the Court began to grow rather anxious.

"Confound it" shouted one of the Rooks, "if you fail to move within ten seconds; we shall do so, instead!" Card Counter disregarded his comment and made the final adjustments to her calculations. Afterwards, she looked about the board and her eyes soon fell upon Royal Flush (who was serving as one of the Pawns for their side.)

Meanwhile, everyone else was mentally debating over who should move and how they should do so. But in the end, they remembered that Card Counter and 8 Ball were the only experts on the game. So; at Ace's request, the team asked the two young ones for assistance.

"What do you say, lil' dudes" Night Club asked, "care to give us a hand in beatin' these punks at their own game?" The aforementioned duo agreed to help them, on the condition that the team would listen carefully and follow with their every order. "Consider it done, Card Counter" Ace agreed, "let's get into position, everyone."

With the aid of 8 Ball and Card Counter, every member of the Full House Gang and their allies took their place upon the board. After the Court had done the same, the chamberlain blew through his horn; thus signaling the start of the game.

After typing at her calculator one final time, Card Counter gave a shout to Royal Flush to make the first move. "Where exactly am I supposed to go, Sis" the wee tomboy cried, "you only have to move forward to the square in front of you" instructed Card Counter. Royal Flush stood in place, somewhat dumbfounded by her instructions.

"That's it" she mumbled, "just move ahead one square, that seems almost too easy." With some newfound confidence, Royal Flush made a stride for the square ahead of her. The Full House Gang's turn now finished, the Court followed up with one of _their_ Pawns moving the same way.

Upon understanding their positions, everything became clear. Thinking quickly, Card Counter made a quick call for a timeout; which took the Court by surprise. "What is the meaning of this outrage" cried the Black Queen, "one cannot call for a respite before the game has even begun!"

"This is true" Card Counter retorted, "but this is a necessary timeout, so that I may properly assign the roles for each member of my team." The Court considered this for a moment and, at last decided to grant them this _one_ timeout. Grateful, Card Counter took out a notepad and began to doodle on several of the pages.

Then, she rushed around the other members of the Gang and handed each of them a page. Each one of said pages had an illustration of each piece on the Chess Board. "What do we need _these_ for, exactly" questioned Madame Roulette.

"To answer your question, these shall act as our…nametags; so to speak" Card Counter explained, "this way, we won't get confused by who moves where." With this reveal, everyone soon began to understand where she was going with her idea. With that, Card Counter walked around each member of their team and handed them their cards.

Ace and Night Club were given the position of Knights, Strong Suit and Jack were both appointed as the Rooks, the King and Queen of Hearts were (ironically) given the tags bearing the King and Queen pieces and both High Card and Eleven of hearts were given the Bishop cards. The others were, much to their dismay, given the Pawn card.

"Why do _I_ have to be a pawn" whined Queen of Diamonds, "why couldn't I be the queen, it _is_ in my name!" "Because, dear I am the head female of our family" Queen of Hearts replied, "as such, it seems only right that I was given this role." In her mind, Queen of Diamonds' emotions felt as though she had been robbed of her "proper place" on the board.

But in her heart, she knew that her mother spoke the truth and accepted her position. As Card Counter began handing out the last of the Pawn tags, one of the Court's Bishops cried out in outrage. "While they have the proper number of participants for their side" he began, "because two of them are working in unison, they now lack the number of pawns!"

Card Counter gasped in shock and began running frantic calculations. Much to her dismay, the enemy was correct; they _were_ off by one (technically speaking.) "Due to High Card keeping Deuce beside her, that makes them as one piece on the board" she cried with great shock, "we need one more person on our side."

With that said, Gin rushed onto the board and took his place beside Ace's group. This caused Eight of Spades to feel a combination of flattery, concern and annoyance. "Stay out of this" she cried, "I can handle these guys and the last thing I want is for you to get hurt."

With a coy smile, the young ginger-haired boy quickly took her hand in his. "I was just about to say the same thing about _you_ , Ma'am" he chuckled, giving the wee Goth a wink. Eight of Spades was thankful her hood was able to hide the blush forming on her cheeks.

Without hesitation, Gin was given the last of the Pawn cards and their side of the board was complete. With an exasperated groan, the Black King's chamberlain sounded off his horn and the game resumed. As stated earlier, the Court "graciously" granted the Full House Gang and Co. to make the first move and Royal Flush was the first to volunteer.

"As a Pawn, Sister and with this being your first turn; you are permitted to move two space ahead" Card Counter explained, "make your move count." Royal Flush understood her instructions and moved ahead two squares. Her turn over, one of the Court's Pawns made the same move forward.

"HEY! That's not fair" cried Eleven of Hearts with mild outrage, "that guy is copying our sister!" As calmly as she could bring herself to do so, Card Counter explained to her elder sister that pieces on _both_ sides of the board make the same type of moves. With this reveal; Eleven of Hearts, finally understood how the game worked (to a degree.)

It was there that Card Counter decided to make matters easier and act as both a game piece _and_ caller for their team. "In layman's terms; when I announce your game piece, you shall move ahead the necessary number of spaces" she instructed. Everyone nodded in agreement and prepared for the next move.

Finally, Card Counter gave a call out to Madame Roulette to move ahead and she did just that. As the game progressed and the pawns began moving, several members of Ace's team began to grow both anxious and bored. "THIS IS TAKING TOO LONG" roared Royal Flush irritably, "when are we gonna see some action?!"

Upon hearing this, the Court shared a soft chuckle amongst themselves and the Black King called for his pawn to move forward. Once this move was made, both the Black Pawn _and_ Royal Flush were within striking distance of each other. "So…what happens next" murmured Strong Suit, "does one of them knock the other guy over or something?"

As a response to the young hero's query, the Kings and Queens within the Court all suddenly shouted "CLEAR THE BOARD;" to which everyone on their side retreated off the board. Before the Full House Gang could question anything, the White King's chamberlain unceremoniously escorted them off their side. "HEY, WHAT GIVES" cried Night Club, after falling onto her rear; "what's with you guys pushin' us around like that?!"

With a firm expression, the chamberlain directed their attention to the two remaining players on the board. Alas, they _still_ could not make heads or tails of what's going on. That is, of course until 8 Ball and Card Counter suddenly remembered what they were playing.

"Everyone, listen very carefully" 8 Ball murmured, "this is not an ordinary Chess game we're playing here." Several members of the team lightly shrugged off his warning, stating how they already knew it was a _Human_ Chess Match. "This is true" admitted Card Counter, "but did you ever consider how one side takes the other's piece?"  
The Black Queen chuckled maliciously and summoned her own chamberlain to her side. "Arm our combatants and let the duel begin" she exclaimed, to which the servant obeyed without a moments pause. Upon returning, moments later; the Court asked both Royal Flush to choose her weapon.

"All due respect, dude; I already _have_ my weapon" she chuckled, patting her trusty monkey wrench. Accepting her choice, the chamberlain asked the Rook to make his choice; which was a black spear and shield. With that done, the chamberlain hurried off the board and the Rook took his battle stance; all while beating his spear against his shield with anticipation.

"Now…let the duel begin" the Black Queen exclaimed, tapping her cane upon the ground. Before she could question what was happening, Royal Flush was suddenly struck in the face by the Rook's shield. The young grease monkey groaned bitterly while rubbing her throbbing nose.

"What the heck did you do _that_ for, pal?" cried Royal Flush but the Rook did not relent. Again, he swung his shield arm at the child; adding a few jabs of his spear as well. But Royal Flush's size made her to be a hard target to hit.

The Louds, Ace and Jack all looked on with pride, as the duel continued. "That's right, Sis; stick and move" cried Strong Suit, pumping her fists; while Eleven of Hearts gave a solo cheerleader cry. Hearing her family support her so strongly gave Royal Flush a sense of confidence.

"This skirmish is in the bag" she murmured swinging her wrench at the Rook's shield. But as the minutes passed by, the fighting began to take a toll on Royal Flush. In time, she began to grow weary; which gave the Rook just the opportunity he needed.

With his shield held up face-length in one hand and his spear held tight in the other, the warrior suddenly charged forward. Royal Flush did her best to hold her ground, believing she was about to be rammed. But just as the Rook came within range, he moved his shield aside and thrust out his spear; startling his opponent.

Taken off-guard by this attack, Royal Flush stumbled backwards in alarm and fell over onto her back. She tried to clamor back onto her feet but when she felt the tip of a spear against her neck, she froze. Though his black, spherical helm didn't show his face; Royal Flush could sense that the Rook was smiling smugly down at her.

"Submit, child or the steel of my spear shall taste your blood" the Black Rook said threateningly, relishing in his triumph. To prove that he meant his threat, the Rook pricked her neck; thus creating a small droplet of blood. High Card was understandably livid by how maliciously her sister was being treated, making all manner of threats towards the Rook.

But her rage paled in comparison to that of the Queen of Hearts. "HOW DARE THAT PUNK HURT MY LITTLE GIRL LIKE THAT?!" she shouted, making her way to the board. But as she approached it, the Rook held his spear dangerously over the child's head.

"Stay your hands, wench" he demanded, "make any further attempt to approach me and I shall skewer your child!" Despite being a hero; Royal Flush was still a child and eventually, they become alarmed in the face of adversity. "Alright…Alright, you win" she cried dejectedly, "just…please, leave me and my mom alone."

Having won the duel, the Black Rook raised his weaponry high into the air and roared with pride. The other members of the Chess Court joined in his celebration, as they made their way back onto the board. Soon after, the Full House Gang returned as well and quickly hurried to Royal Flush's side.

"Mommy has you, sweetie; don't worry" mumbled Queen of Hearts tearfully, while cradling her child. She then demanded that someone take care of the pinprick mark immediately. Without a moment's pause, Ace and Card Counter rushed over; carrying a small First Aid Kit beside them.

But before they could attend to her wound, Royal Flush was suddenly engulfed by a bright light…and vanished from the board. "What is this" exclaimed the King of Hearts, "what did you fiends do with my baby girl?!" Soon after, the rest of the Full House Gang began to demand the same thing.

After hearing several seconds of their raving, the White King approached the heroes and raised his hand; thus silencing them slightly. He then turned their gazes towards the balcony; where a large cage, surrounded by an electrical force field, stood close by. "There are _two_ such cages beside the balcony" he added, "one for my court and one for yours."

His "queen" went on to explain that for each "piece" either side defeats upon the board, they would be sent to the cages. "No harm shall come to them" she assured, "provided they refrain from touching the barrier." Upon recalling his earlier incarceration, Ace knew that her warning was true.

"Don't worry, we'll get you out of there soon" Ace assured, resuming his place on the board. Soon, the game resumed again and it was the Full House Gang's chance to move. "So, now what" murmured Madame Roulette, "should one of _us_ move next or…"

Card Counter did a series of calculations and agreed that, for now, the pawns would be the first to move. "Never forget, everyone that you all must protect the rest of the board" she instructed, "if the king or queen fall, we lose!" The remaining heroes/pawns all gulped nervously, worrying about what might happen next.

"When do the rest of us get to make a move" grumbled Strong Suit, "I'm itchin' for some action here!" "From what I can remember from my earliest memories of this game, we have to let the Pawns move first" Ace explained. Both Kings clapped their hands unenthusiastically, upon hearing his deduction.

"Very commendable, churl" murmured the Black King, "it seems there are a few among you urchins whose minds appear intellectually strong." Strong Suit's face flared red with irritation at these words. "That tears it, pal" she roared, "if you don't start speaking real words soon, I'm gonna walk over there and make you my own personal training dummies!"

Many of her comrades shuddered nervously at the sound of Strong Suit's threat. Next to High Card and Queen of Diamonds, she was the last person to get on their bad side. But despite this, both the king and the Court appeared undeterred.

"Bold words from a child" chuckled one of the Black Knights, "we shall see if you make good on them, should we cross paths." With that, the game continued on with Ace's team making the next move. Card Counter looked over each of the pawns and decided that Eight of Spades should move first.

The young Goth did just that and another of the Court's Pawns made their move, soon after. By making the choice she went with, Card Counter soon noticed the opening she needed. "I call for one of my knights to move ahead next" she cried out and Ace requested he would be the one to move ahead.

"I want to get as close as possible to those jerks" he growled, remembering the mild torture the Black Rook put Royal Flush through. Everyone agreed with the choice and Ace made his way up the board, three squares up and once to the right. Once there, he was just a square or two apart from one of the knights.

At first, the Black King considered having said knight move forward. But upon taking note of his other pieces' positions, he went with a different tactic. "Pawn, move ahead" he commanded, "remove the hooded one from our presence." Chuckling; the Pawn made his way over towards Eight of Spades and the board was cleared, once again.

Though covered by her long bangs, one could sense that Eight of Spades was glaring sharpened daggers at the foot soldier. "I'm going to bury you alive for what you did to my sister" she growled, clutching at her shovel tightly. The Pawn remained stone-faced beneath his helmet and took his battle stance.

The moment the horn sounded off, Eight of Spades quickly went to town on her opponent. Like a mad dog released from her cage, she growled viciously and unleashed a flurry of strikes with her shovel. The Court gasped loudly, utterly appalled by the child's lack of restraint.

"Good heavens" cried the Black Queen in disgust, "hasn't that girl's family taught her anything about proper battle etiquette?!" The Queen of Hearts took immediate offense to her opponent's insults. "HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT MY DAUGHTER THAT WAY, YOU DOLLED UP TRAMP?!" she roared furiously, poised to strike.

It took both the King of Hearts and High Card to hold her back, she was so enraged. "Honey, calm down" the king whispered, "wait until the right moment…and _then_ , beat the tramp's head in." Though deep down, she didn't wish to back down; the Queen of Hearts realized now was not the time for anger and she calmed down.

Back at the battle, both the Black Pawn and Eight of Spades were still locked in their fierce duel. But after fighting for almost seven minutes, the preteen hero's energy began to wane. "It looks as though you have, at last lost your spark" the Pawn chuckled, prepping for the final blow.

Through soft and exhausted breaths, the Eight of Spades gave her opponent a soft yet confident grin. "I may not be able to win this" she murmured, "but that doesn't mean you won't win unscathed!" With that, she gave her shovel a good swing and sliced through the Pawn's spear.

Infuriated by this attack, he bashed his shield against her face; sending the lass flying back. This was enough to grant him a victory and Eight of Spades was sent up into the holding cell with her sister, a second later. Having lost two pieces from their side, Ace and Co. began to feel on edge.

"We can't let them beat us, you guys" Ace growled, "we need to up our game and start taking _their_ 'pieces.'" With that said, he turned to Card Counter and asked her to pull out any and all trick she had to win the game. "Shouldn't be too difficult for Royal Woods' youngest Chess champion" Card Counter boasted softly, fiddling with her glasses.

"Temper your confidence, child" chided the White King, "the game has not yet come close to ending." Nodding in agreement, Card Counter called for another of their Pawns to move and Queen of Diamonds did just that. On the other side, the Black King's Bishop made his way forward; glaring down at the group before him.

On their next move, Card Counter asked her second Knight (Night Club) to move ahead. As the young rocker/hero moved up, she cast a glance at the Court. Then; like Ace, she too began to think of what happened to Sam.

The look of fear and distress in her eyes as the Bishop placed the circlet upon her head filled her with such uncontrollable rage. Night Club cast her eyes towards one of the opposing team's Knights, who gave her a discourteous bow of the head. _"These rotten pussbags hurt my Angel of Rock"_ she thought furiously, _"the moment I get to tussle with one of 'em, I'm gonna beat 'em senseless until they tell me where Sam is!"_

Night Club was so lost in her own mind, she failed to hear Card Counter calling out to her. After one final yell; she, at last snapped back into reality and turned to face her. "Sorry to disrupt your train of thought, Sister" Card Counter murmured dryly, "but the time has come for you to move again."

Night Club took a moment to collect herself and made another "L" stride up the board, crossing the path of one of the Black Rooks. This signaled for the board to, once again, clear out; leaving them alone to duel. "What do you plan to do to me, little songbird" he chuckled mockingly, "are you going to play a ballad for us?"

The rest of the Court joined in their comrade's mockery, which made Night Club's blood boil like molten lava. "You wanna hear some tunes, huh" she asked through clenched teeth, "then…LET'S JAM!" Before her opponent could react, Night Club raised her pick high above her head and slammed it hard against her guitar strings; creating a shrill electric guitar note.

The Black Rook and his comrades plugged their ears painfully, finding the sound atrocious; while the Full House Gang found it less so. "How come _you guys_ aren't bothered by the music" Gin cried, while clamping _his_ ears shut. "It doesn't bother us that much" chuckled High Card, "we've listen to our sister's music for so long, we're used to it.

Night Club strummed her guitar again, creating a shrill G Chord. This made the Court feel even more distressed than before. "Silence this noise and fight me fairly, wench" the Rook demanded but Night Club did not relent. "Sorry, brah" she said nonchalantly, "if you ain't ready to rock, stay outta my stage."

After saying this; she delivered a power chord so strong, the Rook ran screaming off the board in distress. The Black King was furious at his soldier for surrendering so quickly and soon, the Rook found himself trapped within the remaining holding cell. Royal Flush and Eight of Spades smiled smugly, as their rival landed unceremoniously onto the floor.

"Ain't so fun bein' behind bars, is it" chuckled Royal Flush, earning a growl from the Rook. Their confidence now strengthened from this victory, the Full House Gang prepared for the next round. As the game progressed, both sides appeared to be even.

One turn had the combined efforts of High Card and Deuce against the Court's one remaining Rook, thanks in part to the infant's dirty diaper barrage. But in time, the Court fought back; claiming both of _them_ and One-Eyed Jack. In time, the next duel upon the board was between Joker and the Black Bishop.

Thinking quickly, she decided to lull him into thinking she was defeated. "Sir…I wish to make a confession" she murmured sadly, the Bishop (true to his name) felt concerned for her and asked what troubled her soul. Still keeping up her false sad demeanor, Joker beckoned him to move in closer.

The Bishop complied and moved in to the point he was within mere inches of the girl. Seizing the moment; Joker reached into her shirt, pulled out an air horn and blasted it loudly into the man's ears. The sound rang painfully in his head, allowing Joker to smash a pie into his face.

"I confess that you're about to get your…just desserts" she proclaimed, laughing loudly at her own pun. Though, in the past; their sister's puns would create only annoyance among the Loud Sisters. But this was one of the times where it was warmly welcomed…at least, by them.

Upon recovering from the attack, the Bishop glared at his opponent and drew out a sword from beside his hip. Seeing this created an uproar of confusion among the Full House Gang. "Since when does a priest carry a sword" demanded Strong Suit, "aren't they supposed to be about peace and love?"

The Bishop turned towards the teen hero and back towards Joker with a fierce scowl upon his face. "Psalm 11:5 - 'The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion'" he murmured, "in short, when the cause is just…violence is called for!" Before Joker could react, the Bishop's blade sliced sideways over her head; almost cutting off her left pigtail.

She let out a startled yelp and quickly ran about the board in fear, while the Bishop continued swiping at her with his blade. Desperate, Joker fished about her pockets; hoping to find something to defend herself with. But much to her dismay; he dodged every pie, leapt over every banana peel and she couldn't get in close enough to use her joy buzzer.

"This is not good" she murmured worriedly, "I'm running out gags and props here!" Suddenly, Joker tripped over one of her curly-toed shoes and fell face first onto the board. Dazed and exhausted from running, she could only lie there and watch; as the Bishop approached her.

"C-C-C'mon, Mister" she stammered fearfully, "would you l-l-like to hear a joke, I've got millions." The Bishop remained dead-faced to her pleas, as he raised his staff high into the air. "As said within Proverbs 26:18-19, _'Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I am only joking!""_

With that said, he swung his staff like a golf club; sending Joker flying off of the board. Soon, she joined her sisters and Jack above the board. "Good try, ma'am" Jack said sympathetically, "you did your best and that's what counts." Joker smiled at her friend's words but knew that her "best" still wasn't enough to win the round.

Now; the only ones left on their side were Ace, Queen of Diamonds, Madame Roulette, Strong Suit, Eleven of Hearts, the King and Queen of Hearts, Night Club, Gin, 8 Ball and Card Counter. "This is not good," Ace murmured, "if we lose anymore of our friends, it's game over." Card Counter, deep down couldn't help but agree with him.

Despite her knowledge of the game, this Human Chess match made matters a touch more difficult. But they still have a few pieces left on their side, which gave her some semblance of comfort. _"Keep it together, old girl"_ she thought to herself, _"just imagine the rest of the game like it's Family Game Night back home."_

For the next move, she asked Night Club to go ahead again. As the young rocker took her paces, she came across the remaining Knight on the Chess Court's side. Upon examining her, she couldn't help but notice something…odd about this particular warrior.

Compared to the others she had seen, who seemed rather beefy in physique. This one and her comrade appeared slender, about her height and only had some traces of muscle beneath her body armor. "Prepare yourself, knave" growled the knight, "should you cross my path, your end shall be most swift.

Despite the severity of the warrior's threats, Luna remained undeterred. "I don't care how many of ya I gotta beat" she said fiercely, "nothing's gonna stop me from getting Sam outta this place and back home with us." Upon hearing these words, the knight found just the leverage needed to achieve victory.

"This…'Sam' you speak of; he is a friend of yours, I take it" she prodded coyly, which earned a look of curiosity and irritation from Night Club. "First off, dude; Sam is a girl" she began with a growl, "second, I don't think our relationship is any business of _yours!"_ The Knight took a step back, chuckling maliciously beneath its helm.

"I merely wish to tell you of how she fared, while under our…care" the Knight snickered. This statement caused Night Club's anger to burn even hotter. "What did you do to my friend" she demanded, "tell me now…or I'll blast a power chord so loud, your eardrums will pop!"

The Knight shook his head, stating that it took time for her sister's invention to do its work on her. "She was strong, if that is of any significance" he said simply, "there were no requests for mercy, no bribe attempts, no tears; all she did was speak one word…"Luna." This revelation caused Night Club to freeze in place, which made the Court smile wickedly.

Sensing her opponent's disarray, the Knight continued on. "I was curious about this 'Luna' she kept crying out for" he said with a chuckle, "she was strong, didn't give in to torture so easily like the others did." There was a collective gasp from all the members of the Full House Gang, the Loud Parents and all their allies gathered.

"It took time to…persuade her into sharing more with us" the Knight murmured with a cruel chuckle, "but it was all quite fun." Night Club clenched her fists tightly in anger, so much so that her knuckles almost turned white. Hearing her opponent take such pleasure out of the misery of so many people was bad enough.

But by adding Sam into the roster; it was as if they slit her wrist, took a whole bag of salt and just poured it into the wound. The Knight could sense that Night Club was just about broken. So, he decided to add one more log into the fire.

"I sense that girl means something to you, yes" the Knight whispered. Upon looking Night Club in the eye, he could see stains from her face paint trickling down her face. "Just before we made plans for our game, I paid the young maiden a visit to her cell" she explained, earning loud gasps from her opponents.

"Leave Sam outta this, you pig" Night Club roared, "this is between the two of _us_!" The Knight, unfortunately didn't stop patronizing her. "Intentionally or not, Sam _is_ part of this" he chuckled, "for when you lose…she shall be the first to die, all because you failed to save her."

That was the final straw that broke the camel's back. With her fists clutching tightly at her guitar and her face glowing scarlet with rage beneath her face paint, she lunged at the Knight and slammed her guitar against his helmet. This was the opportunity the Knight had waited for.

By instigating Night Club's rage, she would be too blinded by her own fury to fight her properly. So, the Knight unsheathed his sword and charged toward her with the intent to kill. But just as he was within range, Night Club spun herself around and slammed her guitar against the Knight's helm; breaking a piece of it off.

The blow also caused him to fall down to the floor like sack of bricks. Upon spotting him, Night Club rushed over to the fallen Knight; ready to finish the job. But when she got close enough to see the crack in his helmet, she froze.

Not long after, the Knight was swiftly removed from the board; like all the pieces before. All the members of the Chess Court roared with outrage, proclaiming victory was meant for _them._ Only one among them kept his reserve through it all, the White King.

"The lass bested our knight" he decreed, "thus, victory is hers; despite that the turn was our own." While the Court proceeded to argue with their comrade, Night Club remained frozen upon the board. As the memory of her battle, moments ago replayed in her mind.

She recalled catching a brief look of what was beneath the Knight's helm, just before he was taken. Though brief, Night Club swore she spotted small strands of blonde…and blue hair.

(AN: Another chapter done, everybody; hope you all enjoy it. Sorry it took so long to make this. Because I haven't played Chess in ages, it took time for me to recall what piece moved where on the board.

Regardless, I think I was able to have the Chess Battle make sense. At least, I hope I did…Also, I hope none of you will be put off by the Bishop's use of Bible quotes or proverbs. I figured it was suited to their characters.

Happy *Belated* Thanksgiving, everyone; see you all next time)


	17. Chapter Fifteen: Check and Mate

Check and Mate/Secrets Revealed

The sun had slowly begun to set overhead of the Chess field and both sides remained locked in fierce competition. For what felt like ages, they maneuvered and battled each other about the board; with neither side offering the other quarter. But alas; with every victory the Gang achieved, the Court swiftly retaliated and overwhelmed them.

On one turn, Strong Suit started out well against the Court's remaining Rook. But when she crossed paths with the Bishop, things took a turn for the worse. As the two began to fight, the Black Bishop decided to play on his opponent's prime weakness; her pride.

"I was expecting to duel a formidable opponent, not an infant" he said mockingly with a cruel laugh, which caused the Full House Gang to gasp in alarm. _"He did not just insult Lynn's strength"_ High Card thought worriedly, _"hope this guy has some good health insurance…he's gonna need it."_ Upon hearing her opponent's insult, Strong Suit growled slightly in annoyance.

"You want a piece of me, _Padre_ " she shouted, "because you're gonna get a full-course meal for that comment!" With that, she proceeded to lash out at him with a flurry of mighty blows. But the Bishop, sensing the girl's lack of concentration and focus, managed to dodge each one of them.

In time, Strong Suit began to tire herself out; which gave her opponent the perfect moment to strike. With his crosier in hand, he delivered a swift yet strong blow to girl's head; rendering her unconscious. Both the King and Queen of Hearts gasped, as their child fell to the floor.

Not long after, she was then teleported up into the holding cell with the rest of her captured siblings. On the next turn; Queen of Diamonds tried to use her charm, hoping to lull the opposing Pawn into a trap. But the warrior was not so easily swayed and after jabbing at her with his spear, she quickly fell and immediately surrendered out of fear.

Upon joining her sisters in the cell, Queen of Diamonds quickly threw herself into the arms of the Joker and cried. "D-D-Did you see that" she whimpered, "he almost stabbed me w-with his spear!" High Card hurried to her little sister's side and began stroking her hair comfortingly. "Don't you worry, little Sis" she whispered, "you're safe up here with us, now."

Unfortunately; with the luck they've been having, the Gang was beginning to feel less safe with every turn. In time; Card Counter, hesitantly made her way to the next square. Unfortunately, this placed the child prodigy within the path of the Court's remaining knight.

The aforementioned Knight chuckled maliciously, as he was given his sword and shield. Now, Card Counter often claimed how she was above "inane human emotions" like fear. But in her present situation, her body began to act otherwise.

Her heart pounded, her brow sweated profusely and her breathing became shallow. _"What can I do"_ she thought fearfully, _"I am a thinker, not a fighter…how will I get out of this?"_ From above, Strong Suit saw the look of fear in her little sister's eyes and decided to take action.

"Don't get cold feet now, Einstein" she shouted, snapping Card Counter out of her daze. The Knight prepared to proclaim that the Gang was wrongfully interfering but the White King disagreed. "We made no such rule against members on both sides providing encouragement or insight to their comrades upon the board" he stated, "we shall allow this."

The Knight glared up at the lord, wondering just whose side he was truly on. Back with the Full House Gang, Strong Suit made another attempt to ease her sister's nerves. "You may not be a fighter…but you can still outsmart the big lug" she stated, "use your head to beat _his_ in!"

It took a moment or so for the words to truly sink in. But once they did, Card Counter's mind was clear again. Unfortunately, just as it happened, the Knight suddenly swung his blade down to the floor. But Card Counter was able to dodge it at the last minute.

Upon distancing herself from her opponent, the wee genius began to think. The Louds, Ace and all their allies were on pins and needles with anxiety wondering what was going through her head. Finally, Card Counter was struck by realization.

"I KNOW WHAT TO DO" she exclaimed, earning a cheer from her family. "That's great, sweetie; you know how to fight off the knight" questioned the Queen of Hearts, to which Card Counter gave a simple shake of the head. "Sadly, no" she murmured, "unlike the others, I do not have room in my brain for knowledge on combat skills."

At first, the other Loud Sisters were poised to scold Card Counter for calling them stupid…in her own way. But the child prodigy assured them that was not what she meant at all. "As Strong Suit said, I may not be a fighter but I _am_ a thinker" she declared proudly, "as such, it seems we are going about things all wrong."

As Card Counter prepared to explain herself, the Court's Knight suddenly delivered a mighty blow to the back of her head; sending her skidding off the board. Before she could hit the grass, she was suddenly teleported to the holding cell. The remaining Full House Gang members roared with outrage at the Knight.

"Hurting a little kid is bad enough" screamed High Card, "but hitting your opponent when their back is turned…that's low for a knight!" Her mind was then flooded with images of one of their previous encounters with the Chess Court. There, High Card had lost her weapon and was thus defenseless.

But rather than seize the opportunity and finish her then, the knight helped High Card reclaim her weapon instead. That was the one time she saw the court act chivalrously. Surely, the man on the board below her couldn't be the same person from back then.

In moments, Card Counter recovered from the blow and rubbed the back of her head dizzily. "OM GOSH! Are you okay" Eleven of Hearts called up worriedly, Card Counter looked over the side and gave her sister a gentle wave. "I'm fine, dear sister" she assured, "nothing a little Hydrogen Peroxide, a proper band-aid and one of mother's famous 'get well kisses' won't fix."

Everyone giggled softly at the young genius' words and calmly asked her what she was trying to say earlier. "The whole game, we have been fighting off every other piece within the Court's ranks" she began, "what we _should've_ been doing…is focusing our efforts on a specific target!"

It was then that Ace understood what his colleague was speaking of. In Chess, the best way to win was to take down the king. Upon explaining this, however; everyone still felt confused. "There are _two_ king guys on the board, though" Eleven of Hearts murmured, "does it matter which one is beaten?"

While Card Counter felt that she asked it in such a moderately naïve manner, her sister _did_ raise a valid point. "There are two kings, yes" she stated, "but we only need to remove _one_ of them from the board." Royal Flush and Strong Suit grimaced loudly in both boredom and annoyance, wishing for their sister to get to the point.

"The point is…we simply need to block the King's path ahead of him" Card Counter explained, "once we've achieved that, we will be within range of Checkmate!" With this thought presented, everyone felt a smidgen of confidence well up inside of them. But it quickly died down, when Card Counter brought up another point to remember.

"Just as we can take our opponent's King, they can do the very same" she stated, "this coupled with our dwindling numbers will make the remainder of the game much more difficult." With this in mind, everyone pledged to do whatever possible to gain the upper hand. While also doing what they could to protect their own side.

"I hope you have another plan, brah" murmured Night Club, "if I shred my guitar any harder…the strings might snap." Card Counter looked about the board from her position and observed all the paths upon the board. Even with the few "pieces" they had, she still hoped to find a way to win.

After careful analysis, she believed to have found one possible way. "Night Club; I would like to move towards the left, on your final step" Card Counter instructed, to which her sister quickly obeyed. Upon reaching the forth space in the "L" formation, she soon found herself at the middle of the board

The Black King smiled at her and made a bold step forward; then, Card Counter asked Madame Roulette to move next. "Hope I cross paths with one of these guys soon" she chuckled, "I've got a score to settle with you jokers." As the young heroine took moved to the next space, the Bishop gave her a sly grin.

"You seem rather confident, despite your age" he chuckled, "but such feelings simply mask the insecurities one hides within." Despite the Bishop's tone of voice, Madame Roulette simply ignored his jeering. "Look, buddy; you're wastin' your time tryin' to get in my head like you did with my friend" she stated, "so…hope you have other ideas."

The child's brash behavior offended both the Bishop and the rest of the Court. "The company the young detective keeps is deplorable" cried the Black Queen, "we must dispose of them forthwith!" With that in mind, she marched three spaces forward; stopping just a stone's throw away from Madame Roulette.

From above, Card Counter chuckled at the events transpiring. "Prideful old hag" she murmured, "she's being lured into a trap and is none the wiser." Upon realizing her words, Card Counter swiftly clamped her hands over her mouth; fearing the Court might've overheard her.

 _"I must be careful, at this point"_ she thought to herself, _"who knows if the_ Court _may be leading_ us _into a trap and not the other way around."_ On the next move, Eleven of Hearts eagerly requested if she could help. Card Counter was hesitant on this; on one hand, her second eldest sister was not often known for being (as Royal Flush often put it) the sharpest knife in the drawer.

But then; on the other hand; her family being heroes for some time helped teach Card Counter that _every_ card had its uses, when the moment was right. "Very well, Eleven of Hearts" she shouted down, "you shall be the next to move. After giving a soft cheer of "yaysies," Eleven of Hearts prepared to make her move.

Thanks to Card Counter's careful instructions, the second eldest sister made her way up three squares sideways along the board. Upon reaching the third, Eleven of Hearts found herself within reach of the Bishop. This, in turn signaled for the board to be cleared; save for the two of them.

"What's goin' on" murmured Eleven of Hearts confusedly, "why is everybody leaving?" With a soft yet still exasperated groan, High Card calmly reminded her sister how she and the Bishop were about to fight. "Me fight _him_ …I dunno" she mumbled softly, which caused the Bishop to chuckle at her maliciously.

"This battle is folly" he heaved between laughs, "this child is both lack-witted and seems just as cowardly as her kin!" Upon hearing this insult, Eleven of Heart's mind was flooded by images of each of her sisters' defeats. The looks of fear, pain and suffering upon each of their faces caused a spark to flare within the young lass.

When the others saw the look of annoyance slowly appear on her face, they each gulped nervously. "Sir…maybe you should lay off the laughing a bit" murmured Royal Flush, "my sister doesn't like it all that much." This only caused the Bishop to guffaw even louder.

"Your sister's ire does not concern me, child" he boasted, "within three maneuvers, she shall join you up there; beaten and flustered." This was the final straw; after hearing the Bishop's comment, the Full House Gang and their allies saw something new in Eleven of Hearts…blind, unrelenting fury! With a fierce battle cry, she grabbed hold of her battle sash and sent one end of it flying towards her opponent.

The Bishop spent so much time laughing, he failed to notice said sash tugging at his crosier. The two combatants soon found themselves locked in a tug of war, with neither side giving in. "Whoa…I have never seen her this mad before" Jack commented, the other Loud Sisters all nodded in silent agreement.

 _"She's not even this angry during a Black Friday sale at the mall"_ High Card thought to herself, transfixed by the battle. Down below, both Eleven of Hearts and the Bishop remained within their tug of war for what felt like ages. Until, at last, the young heroine gave the sash one final tug.

This caused her opponent to suddenly stumble forward; losing his grip on his crosier and then, falling hard onto his face. With the Bishop's tool in hand, Eleven of Hearts suddenly stomped her way toward him like an enraged giant. "Mister…you can be rude, insult my fashion sense, steal the last item from a big sale and even mock my I.Q." she listed off through clenched teeth, "but when you hurt my sisters… _it's go time!_ "

With that said, she raised the crosier high over her head and slammed the decorative hook top hard against the Bishop's head; rendering him unconscious. Once he was removed from the board, the Court cautiously returned to their places; utterly shocked by what they saw. The Full House Gang and their allies were also quite alarmed by what had transpired.

"Wow, I've never seen her _that_ mad in…well, ever" murmured Strong Suit, "remind me never to get on her bad side." Everyone else murmured softly in agreement and the game continued. With that small victory, the battle made a slight turn in the Gang's favor.

Ace helped take out another pawn, Madame Roulette used her wheel-shield to render the remaining Bishop into a daze, thus defeating him and upon being given a chance, the King of Hearts defeated another Pawn; leaving only three left for the Court. This caused the King and Queen to fear for the worst. "If we do not stop them now, all is lost" murmured the Black Queen, who was drumming her fingers fearfully upon her scepter.

But the King reassured her that not all was lost for them. "We still possess one more Bishop and our Pawns have not all been wiped clean from the board…all is not lost." Despite the sureness of his words, even the King felt concerned by how the game was progressing.

From the beginning, they all believed victory would be within their reach. But because of their hubris, Ace and his compatriots were slowly gaining the upper hand. It was then that he noticed how each of their opponents was slowly becoming weary.

"This lot may be heroes…but they are human, just the same" he murmured, "in time, their bodies will be far too weak to battle us further." The Queen took notice of this and smiled wickedly. Then, she suddenly remembered other members of the Gang their forces had seldom battled yet.

"What of the three other wee ones and their older compatriots" she inquired, "we have yet to face _them_ , who knows what tricks they might possess." Though he did not show it openly, the Black King shared in her concern. With a reluctant growl, the Black King sent one of their remaining Pawns forward.

Unfortunately, this placed him within Night Club's crosshairs and she was itching for another fight. With a snicker, the young rocker made her way forward and came face-to-face with the Pawn; who was whimpering pathetically within his spherical helm. Despite him being her opponent and her eagerness to fight, Night Club felt a twinge of pity for him

"This has to be done, dude" she murmured, "any last words before I rock your world, figuratively and literally?" With a nervous gulp, he gestured for the young lady to draw in closer. When she was just within enough range, the Pawn softly spoke to her in saying "the maiden did not suffer for very long."

It took a moment for the words to sink in. But soon, Night Club realized that the "maiden" he was referring to must've been Sam. Upon remembering the Pawn saying she "didn't suffer for very long," Night Club's demeanor hardened slightly and she sent him flying with a powerful G Chord.

Her opponent defeated, Night Club took her place on the square the Pawn formerly stood upon. Everyone cheered loudly for their comrade's victory but soon noticed a tired look upon Night Club's face. "Sweetie…can you hear me" the Queen of Hearts called out, upon returning to the board.

The young rocker slowly faced her mother, her chest rising and falling with every breath and she weakly gave everyone a thumbs up. After everyone had returned, Ace took a moment to study the board and gazed upward towards the holding cells. "Excuse me, Card Counter" he shouted, "correct me if I'm wrong…but it looks like our team's in position for a Checkmate, correct?"

The young prodigy looked over the side of her cell and studied the board. Upon seeing the position of Night Club and Eleven of Hearts, a broad smile appeared on her face. "My friend, I do believe you're correct" she stated, "all you need do is say the word."

The King and Queen glared daggers up towards Card Counter and they each brandish their swords in defiance. "The game is not over until one side loses its king" the Black King roared, "and I shall never submit to the likes of you!" With that, the two monarchs charged furiously across the board; intent on slaying their enemies.

To say that this display shocked our heroes would be a tremendous understatement. "That's not fair" Eleven of Hearts cried with outrage, "we won the game…didn't we?" The other members of the Full House Gang all murmured in agreement, as did their allies.

"We are the Chess Court, child" seethed the Black Queen, "we shall decide who are the victors here!" As she reached her hand towards her scepter, a playing card suddenly whizzed forward and struck against the Black Queen's hand; causing her to drop it. She rubbed it softly and growled under her breath, demanding to know who "assaulted" her.

Upon looking towards the sidelines, she spotted Wild Card Willy; who held a playing card tight between the index and ring finger of his left hand. "Mama always taught me to be polite to a lady" he stated, "but when that lady hurts my pals, chivalry be darned!" Alarmed by her "sister's" distress, the White Queen commanded her forces to surround the card-slinger.

After saluting their "queen," several White Knights charged towards the Full House Gang. But just as they were within arms reach of them, something happened. On the sidelines, Boxcars quickly pressed the dice symbol on his chest and his doubles swiftly appeared; blocking the Knights' path.

"Y'all wanna dosey-doe; then, we're ready for ya" the copies all said in unison, before dogpiling atop three knights. The remaining warriors escaped the onslaught but were soon met by Gin and Rummy. The young preteen approached the Knights and demanded for their surrender.

This only caused them to burst out in mad laughter at the lad's words. "If we refuse; what shall you do about it, wee one" questioned one of the Knights mockingly, poking his finger upon Gin's forehead. Infuriated by their insolence, Gin pressed his hand atop his belt buckle and was suddenly enveloped by a soft light.

Afterwards, the Knights' laughter slowly began to die out; as Gin began to grow ever larger. When the light faded, Gin was now at equal height with the Court's castle headquarters; which made the knights' knees quake. "Now…I believe some payback's in order for what you did to Eight of Spades" he mumbled angrily, while slightly cracking his neck.

Sensing danger, the Knights' made a desperate attempt to retreat. But Gin quickly snatched them up in his hands like a pack of Army Men and tossed them over his shoulder. Meanwhile, the Rooks slowly began to surround 8 Ball; which did not seem to alarm him.

"That's it, just a little bit closer" he whispered, casually beckoning them to approach. Finally, just as they were all within proper range; 8 Ball rushed forward, leapt into the air and curled himself into a ball. Upon making contact with one of the Rooks, he soon began bouncing rapidly against the others around him.

When the last of them fell, 8 Ball stuck his feet out underneath him and skidded to a halt on the ground. "HA! Guess one could say the ball was in my corner" he breathed jokingly, earning light amounts of laughter from the others. For the moment, the battle seemed to be in favor of Ace and the Full House Gang.

But in seconds, the fatigue from the hours they've all battled on the Chessboard began to take hold and their efforts began to slip slightly. "Don't give up yet, everybody" Strong Suit shouted, "we've got 'em on the ropes now…it's only a matter of time!" Alas, the young jock would realize too late the irony of her words.

For in time, even the strongest members of the Gang slowly began to feel their strength waning. Soon, several of them began to fall onto their knees in exhaustion; leaving only a small number of them still standing. The Court, however was still going on strong and it seemed that with every _one_ they took out; more took their places.

As Ace suddenly began to tire out from fighting, the Black and White Kings marched proudly towards him. "Give in, churl" the White King chuckled, "you cannot win this, we've seen all of your tricks." As he lied there, Ace took the king's words into consideration; after all that time on the board…perhaps, there was nothing he or his team had that the Court wouldn't suspect.

But just as all hope seemed lost, a faint aroma slowly filled his nostrils. "OH…JEEZ LOUISE, WHAT IS THAT SMELL" he exclaimed, plugging up his nose. He looked over and noticed little Deuce whimpering softly and High Card doing her best to console her.

"Sorry…she got a little nervous because of how much the fight's been escalating" she murmured while lightly rocking her baby sister. Soon, the smell reached the noses of the Court; who proceeded to gag viciously. It was in that moment when Ace was struck by inspiration.

"Quick, hand me the diaper" Ace ordered, "I know how we can win this!" Not wishing to argue, High Card did just as he asked and tossed him the diaper. Afterward, he stuck his finger into his mouth and held it in the air; testing for signs of a breeze.

Once a strong one began to pass by, the time had come to act. "Jack…on my signal, fire a Poker chip from your belt" he instructed, earning a nod of understanding from his partner. With that said; he clutched the diaper in his hand, gave his arm a wind up and tossed the diaper towards the Court.

After Ace gave the signal, One-Eyed Jack fired a chip out from his belt; which proceeded to smash through the moistened diaper. The shot successfully caused the diaper to "explode" (so to speak," causing fecal matter and rancid fumes to spread about in the wind. Before the Court could react, they were suddenly coated in fresh leavings and the smell of the soiled diaper soon spread around them like a fog.

Even those who wore helmets like the Pawns, Rooks and Knights soon felt the odor fill their sinuses. "Good LORD" cried the White King, "what on earth are you feeding that child?!" The King of Hearts smiled down at the gagging Court and puffed out his chest with pride.

"Nothing but good ol' fashioned gourmet home cookin' from Daddy" he boasted, "it's not my fault her stomach's not strong enough to hold it in yet." As the last members of the Court fell unconscious, Deuce giggled merrily at them and simply murmured "poo-poo." The battle was over, the Chess Match had ended and the Full House Gang emerged victorious.

"YEAH, DUDES! We _rocked_ this game" Night Club exclaimed proudly, while wailing on her guitar. The rest of the Gang and their allies shared in her delight; albeit, in a much calmer manner. "Now that the game's over, let's go free the prisoners" One-Eyed Jack stated, earning a roar of agreement from the others.

"We will do just that, everybody" Ace assured, "but first…let's all find out who's behind all this." With that in mind, he approached the now dazed Chess Court and made his way over to the Kings. _"Okay, time to see who you really are 'Your Highness.'"_

Upon taking hold of the man's helm, Ace mentally prepared himself for what he was about to see. "No matter who it is, it's your duty as a hero to dispense justice accordingly and without exception" he whispered softly, fumbling his fingers against the helmet's metal surface. After giving himself a mental countdown to three, Ace gave the helmet a tug and threw it over his shoulder.

When he and his comrades looked down at the newly unmasked man, they were overwhelmed with a sense of shock and confusion. For lying at their feet was the unconscious form of Lord Reginald Barnum.

(AN: Dun, dun, duuuuun! So, it seems that the "mastermind" behind the Chess Court has been revealed…or so we believe. Do you think Lord Barnum truly is behind things, could it be another member of the Court…or is there someone working behind the scenes? Find out, next time in the next exciting installment of Checkmate)

(Second AN: I hope the remainder of the Chess game made sense to all of you. I've done loads of research in trying to understand which piece moved where and how one achieves "checkmate." It's been ages since I've played the game, you see)


	18. Chapter Sixteen: Trump Card

Trump Card/The True Mastermind Appears

After weeks of training, searching and investigations; after many encounters and momentary defeats at the hands of their enemies, it all paid off. Upon winning the Chess game, the time had now come to reveal the faces behind the Court. But when Ace removed the royal hood from the White King's face, both he and his comrades froze in shock.

Lying at their feet, still feeling the effects of Deuce's diaper attack, was Lord Barnum. When she saw the face of their enemy; Strong Suit proceeded to leap and dance around the board, doing a sort of smug victory dance. "I _told you_ , guys" she boasted, "I _knew_ ol' Reggie was behind it all!"

At the moment, Ace and the others were almost inclined to agree with her. But deep down, many of them felt there must be a sort of explanation. "Let's worry about him later, dudes" Night Club interjected, "let's take care of the rest of these guys next."

Everyone agreed with her idea and proceeded towards each member of the Court. While her sisters tended to everyone else, Night Club made a beeline for one of the White Knights; the same one she defeated just moments ago. When she reached him, Night Club saw that Knight still wore the helmet she damaged from their fight.

 _"Let me have another look at you, mate"_ Night Club thought, staring intently into the hole in the helmet. She studied the fallen warrior closely until she found what she needed, a small lock of blue hair. This discovery caused Night Club's heart to pound harder than ten-thousand drum solos.

Without hesitation, she took hold of the helmet and slowly pulled it off; revealing the slumbering face of one Sam Sharp. In that instant, Night Club's mind was raging with emotions; wondering just how her secret crush got here. Suddenly, she spotted something hidden beneath Sam's hair.

With the greatest of care, Night Club brushed aside a few locks to reveal one of Lisa's behavioral modification plates attached to the side of her head. _"So…that's it, huh"_ she thought to herself, _"these creeps kidnap Sam, force one of these things on her head and forced her to fight me…that's low!"_ Meanwhile, the rest of the Gang was attending to the other Court members.

The King and Queen of Hearts approached the unconscious Black King and proceeded to remove his own royal hood. Upon doing so, the Queen let out a sudden gasp of shock. "What is it, what did you see" Ace called out, while attending to one of the Bishops.

"The Black King, he's…he's my…"The poor woman was in such shock, she could barely speak. Ace swiftly rushed to her side and got a good look at the man below him. As it appeared; the Black King's true face was that of an elderly man with a grey mustache, mildly wrinkled skin and his white hair had a small tuft of it standing up.

In an instant, Ace immediately knew who this fellow was. When he first joined forces with the Loud Family, he was given the privilege to learn more about them through their photo albums. There, he came to learn about a man named Albert; who was Rita's father.

From the stories the girls would tell; Albert (or Pop-Pop as they called him) was said to be kind, loving, adventurous and loyal to his family. So, to see that _he_ was part of the Chess Court was a tremendous shock for the both of them. Elsewhere; High Card, with the aid of Madame Roulette, was seen removing the helm off a White Knight.

Upon disposing of it, High Card almost fell dead where she stood. For at her feet lay the dazed form of young Roberto "Bobby" Santiago, her boyfriend and Madame Roulette's elder brother. With this revelation, High Card's mind thought back to the battle at Huntington Oaks.

Now, it made sense why one of the Knights refused to hurt her; it was Bobby all along. "Oh, Boo-Boo Bear" she cooed softly while hugging his head tenderly, "what happened to you, what have these jerks done to you?" Upon saying this, Madame Roulette asked High Card to take another look at the so-called "jerks."

While still holding Bobby, she turned her head and let out a soft gasp. All around the board, she saw the helmets and hoods of the court lying strewn about like discarded trash. What truly shocked her were all the familiar faces of friends, family and neighbors standing alongside her other sisters.

She spotted the McBride Couple, Harold and Howard; she saw several school teachers, fellow classmates and countless others. Among the familiar faces was woman named Agnes Johnson, a teacher at the local grade school. "What the heck is going on here" High Card murmured confusedly, "how did all of you get here?"

She then felt something cold beneath her hand, while brushing at his hair. Upon inspection, she spotted a piece of metal implanted on his scalp. "Guys, I think Bobby has something attached to his head" she stated, earning her family's attention.

Card Counter rushed over and carefully studied what her elder sister had found. Upon discovering what it was, she went pale with fright. "Everyone…it seems that whoever is behind all this has used _my_ invention on all these people" she murmured, disgusted with herself.

Everyone gasped and looked at everyone's heads in alarm. But it seemed only Bobby had the earlier version of Card Counter's device attached to them. Everyone seemed to be wearing modified versions in the form of microchips or headwear like Sam's circlet.

"What the…who put all these things on them" questioned One-Eyed Jack while removing the Rook armor off one of the prisoners. "Ten-to-One it's that stuffed turkey, Barnum behind all this" Strong Suit growled, cracking her knuckles; but Ace shook his head in reply. "I'm afraid he's no longer our prime suspect here" he stated, "come and see for yourselves."

The ten sisters hurried over and Ace then showed them another plate on the back of Barnum's head. Unlike Bobby's, this was smaller; like the size of a playing card. Upon seeing this, Strong Suit's earlier bravado quickly faded away.

"But…if _he_ isn't the bad guy here, who is" questioned Royal Flush, which brought everyone to murmur softly in confusion. Then, Ace took a careful observation of each individual around them. Then, he mentally recounted all the attacks made by the Court over past few weeks.

Before anything else could be said, Bobby began to reawaken. When she saw her beloved stirring, High Card rushed to his side. Slowly but surely, the young Latino boy's eyes began to open; his vision seeing only a blurred image of the girl before him.

"Babe…is that you" he groaned weakly, "sorry if I overslept." At first, High Card was worried that he saw through her disguise. But then; she noticed that Bobby's vision still appeared rather cloudy and thus, felt mildly safe.

"Yes, Boo-Boo Bear; it's me" she cried with joy, her eyes on the verge of bursting with tears. Weakly, Bobby took hold of High Card's hand and smiled at her. "Sorry I've been AWOL, babe" he chuckled softly, "I've been busy with a side job to help the bodega."

Upon hearing this, High Card asked who it was that offered him the job. "It was the rich dude, Lord Barnum" he answered softly, "after that…I don't remember anything else." Curious, Ace made his way towards Barnum; who was now beginning to stir.

As his vision cleared, the lord found Ace and several of his compatriots looking down at him. "What…Who the deuce are all of you and for that matter, where am I" Barnum mumbled softly, "I feel as though I fell headlong into a mound of horse leavings." Deuce grumbled bitterly and blew a loud raspberry, utterly offended by the man's words.

Before anyone else could speak up; Night Club pushed her way past her teammates, stomped over towards Barnum and grabbed him roughly by his collar. " _We_ will be asking the questions here, mate" she growled in her cockney accent, "what have you been doing to all these people, including Miss Sharp?!" Alarmed by their sister's hostility, it took seven of the Loud girls to pull Night Club away from Barnum.

Once he was given enough space, the lord prepared to explain himself. "Be assured, everyone that I am as confused as you are" he stated, fixing his shirt. "Don't play dumb, big shot" Royal Flush said rudely, "we've been battling you and your Chess Court for weeks and today, we kicked all your butts!"

Upon saying this, everyone looked about them in utter confusion. "'Chess Court…' what are you talking about" questioned Mrs. Johnson, " the last thing I remember was being approached by someone, claiming he wanted to help 'change things for the better' at the school." The other adults murmured the same thing for _their_ livelihoods, which piqued the Gang's interest.

Hoping to learn more, the Queen of Hearts turned towards the school children and asked how _they_ ended up there. At first, no one spoke up; mainly because memory of the past events still felt hazy. But then, a boy named Joey stood up and approached her.

"I don't remember too much, unfortunately" he murmured dejectedly, "but before this; my GPA wasn't doing so hot and Mom threatened me with military school, if it didn't improve." He then said that his mother learned about Barnum's academic prowess in the papers and decided to send him to his home for tutoring. Several of Joey's classmates said the same thing.

"What happened during the tutoring" questioned Ace, "was Barnum acting…strange at any point?" Just as Joey prepared to answer; from behind them, Night Club overheard Sam's voice letting out a loud yawn. "Dude…what happened" she groaned, "I feel like I was in the biggest Mosh Pit in the world.

In that moment, Night Club wanted nothing more than to rush over to Sam and give her the biggest hug she could muster. But then, she realized she was still in her hero uniform and decided to play it cool. "Don't you worry, love" she assured in a cockney accent, "you're safe along with everyone else here."

After shaking the cobwebs from her head, Sam turned her attention towards Night Club and gasped in awe. "DUUUUUDE! You're Night Club from the Full House Gang" she exclaimed while bouncing giddily, "oh, my gosh; I am _such_ a huge fan!" Night Club blushed slightly from the girl's comments and thanked her warmly.

Upon realizing she was getting off track, Night Club asked Sam how _she_ ended up in the situation. "I was leaving work, one night and then…these jokers in armor appeared, put a sac over me and carried me off to this place" she explained, "that's all I remember, unfortunately." After hearing her story, Night Club felt it just didn't add up.

"Any reason why they would jump you?" she asked softly, to which Sam responded with a shake of her head. "The last thing I remember was them yelling at me in this dirty jail cell" she explained, "they kept saying I was 'an affront to common decency' because of my music and that I 'needed to be punished for it." Night Club shuddered fearfully, dreading to know what Sam must've endured during her captivity.

"I'll bet you put up quite a fight, huh?" she chuckled softly, hoping to lighten the mood. Sam responded with a chuckle of her own, proclaiming how she was "tougher than she looked." Then, her confident grin slowly fell into a frown.

"Eventually, those guys decided to rough me up somethin' fierce" she said with a grimace, rubbing her side slightly. Upon seeing this, Night Club feared she might've hurt her. But then, Card Counter approached and asked to perform a mild examination.

At first, Sam didn't know whether or not to trust a little kid with her health. Then, she suddenly felt Night Club's hand pat against her shoulder reassuringly. "It's cool, brah" she assured, "the little dudette knows more about First Aid than most adults I know."

After taking the hero's words into consideration, Sam went along with Night Club's request and lifted the back of her shirt up. Upon doing so, everyone recoiled with disgust at what they saw; long, deep welts imprinted in her skin. After studying the wounds, Card Counter deduced that they were whip marks; caused by a series of lashings.

"That's terrible" cried Howard McBride in disgust, "what kind of sick monster would abuse a child that way?!" Several other adults around him roared loudly in agreement. Night Club, meanwhile appeared on the verge of snapping.

With her guitar clenched tight in her hands and her mouth foaming with rage; she, once again approached Barnum and prepared to grievously hurt him. "Alright, big shot" she seethed, "give me one good reason why I should beat your head in like a ripe melon!" Seeing the young teenager in such a hostile state caused Barnum to quiver like frightened child.

"Please, young lady; I promise you…I'm innocent" he whimpered softly, "t-t-the last thing I remember was attending a luncheon with an old friend of mine!" With this statement, Night Club suddenly stopped herself; just as her instrument was mere inches away from striking down at Barnum's head. The moment Ace saw her mood softening slightly, he politely asked her to step aside.

Though she was still angry by what happened to her friend; Night Club, begrudgingly moved aside and allowed her partner to pass. "Now, Your Lordship…you say you went to a luncheon with a friend before all this?" Ace asked inquisitively, to which Barnum answered with a simple nod. "Can you tell us what this meeting was about, if you can remember" questioned Ace.

After being given a moment to collect himself, Barnum was ready to speak. "It's all still rather difficult to remember" Barnum murmured, rubbing the area where the plate was found. "All that I _can_ recall is my friend claiming he wanted to help improve the community," he stated, "but when he told me of his methods, which involved leveling many well-known areas of Royal Woods and beyond; I refused."

Upon hearing this; Ace now understood the reasoning behind the attacks on the many eateries, casinos and other business establishments they saw before. He also felt a strong hunch on who was behind all of it. When the Gang asked Barnum what happened next; he said that, despite their differing opinions, he wished to make some tea…to show there was "no hard feelings" between them.

"I happily accepted the tea, tasted it and…the next thing I know, I found myself here" he explained, "everything else is still a blur." After the story, Card Counter made a series of calculations and discovered that he…was telling the truth. "Everything he and the others have just told us is completely valid, everyone" she declared, "yet, something _still_ doesn't compute!"

"Yeah…like, where did you guys get those metal thingies" added Eleven of Hearts, "and who dressed you up like this?" Everyone looked towards the young blonde and shrugged in confusion, still unsure of what was going on. Then, Ace stepped in and offered up his theory.

"After hearing all the accounts, remembering each of our encounters with the Court and Lord Barnum's testimony. I think I have an idea of who the culprit is" he said with a smile. Curious, the Full House Gang all asked Ace just who was he thinking of. "I know it may seem nuts to you…but please, hear me out first" Ace requested, "all the attacks and kidnappings we've seen have one common factor…it was all against Middle Class living!"

Everyone stared at Ace blankly, wondering if he had gone made or if he was struck in the head during the Chess game. Sensing the confusion, Ace assured everyone that he was quite sane. "Think of it…you all met him before, on multiple accidental occasions" he stated, "who else do we know has no respect for the 'poor' people of our town, despises anything that isn't as 'cultured' as he claims to be…and who would go as far as to harm anyone who isn't like him?

The Full House Gang, their parents, their allies and all the prisoners thought long and hard on Ace's description. Then, like a blow to the head; Card Counter was struck by realization. "The mastermind behind these events is none other than…"

Before the wee genius could finish; she was suddenly given a blow to the head, which sent her flying onto the pile of armor. Upon recovery, Card Counter saw that it was a young teenager named Chaz that struck her down. At first; she felt offended by the attack but then, she noticed that Chaz appeared to be struggling.

"Sorry, lil' hero" he groaned softly, "the Chaz…can't control himself, for some reason." After that, he and several more of the prisoners suddenly clutched at their heads painfully. Ace and Co. could only stand and watch, fearfully wondering what was happening to their loved ones.

Then, Card Counter noticed that the metal plates and other devices they were wearing were giving off a strong red glow. This caused the young genius' jaw to tremble worriedly. "Everyone, we must retreat" she urged her comrades, "someone has activated my devices!"

Just as heroes prepared to move away from everyone, Mrs. Johnson suddenly grabbed hold of her former Black Queen scepter and struck at One-Eyed Jack from behind. "Vile knaves" she growled, "thou shall suffer severely for the crimes thou hast committed this day!" Soon after, the other prisoners instantly reverted to their previous personas; chuckling maliciously.

"Not again" whined Queen of Diamonds, "I'm too tired for anymore fighting!" Though not with the same tone, the rest of the Gang sullenly agreed with her. Just then, a soft yet smug laugh echoed in the air.

 _"Foolish heroes"_ the voice said smugly, _"you of all people should've known that the opponent always has a…trump card hidden away for just the right moment."_ Upon hearing the voice, everyone's faces froze in disbelief. "That voice…could it be" murmured Queen of Hearts, "no…it couldn't be _him._ "

As if on cue; the doors to Barnum's home burst open and someone made their way down the stairwell. As the man drew closer; the ten sisters/heroines all recognized the man as the smug, conceited, arrogant old "nobleman" known as Lord Tetherby. "I'm amazed that you made it this far, young detective" he chuckled, "I thought it would take until the next century for you all to learn the truth.

Several of the girls growled loudly, upon hearing Tetherby belittle them so venomously. Ace shared in their frustration but did his best to not lose face, not wanting to give Tetherby the satisfaction of seeing him in anguish. "What I don't understand is…why" he asked, "you've hurt and manipulated all these people, leveled public property and threatened innocent lives; for WHAT?!"

You might think that Ace asking this was Tetherby getting under Ace's skin, right? Quite the contrary; he _knew_ that his foe was an arrogant and egocentric fool and thus, was egging him on. With a frustrated look upon his face, the old man rushed over and slapped the tip of his cane across Ace's face.

"What you did, just now; _that_ is my reason" he shouted, "the people of this rancid little hovel of a town are all vulgar, uncultured and uncivilized urchins!" He then went on to proclaim that every place he had the Court ransack was for the "benefit of the community." To which every member of the Full House Gang strongly voiced their disagreement.

"MY BOO-BOO BEAR AND HIS FAMILY DO A GREAT SERVICE FOR GREAT LAKES CITY THROUGH THEIR BODEGA" roared High Card, "what gave _you_ the right to hurt him the way you did?!" Tetherby only scoffed at the young lady's outbursts, proclaiming that something as "meaningless" as a convenience store didn't deserve to exist in society. "What about Barnum" King of Hearts interjected, "he's high class like you _and_ values cultural preservation as well!"

Tetherby merely scoffed at the elder hero and proclaimed that Barnum was "nothing more than a charlatan." "My family has worked under the Barnum Family's heels for generations and not one of us had chosen to fight back" he seethed, "Reginald was the worst of them all!" "How can that be" questioned One-Eyed Jack, "Lord Reginald seems like a nice guy, what did _he_ do that caused such an offense?"

Lord Tetherby glared at the hero and claimed that Barnum's family had "wasted" all their money, influence and power on helping others; when he should've been dominating them. "Folk of our stature shouldn't be forced to be at the public's beck and call" he said with a sneer, "your kind was put on this earth to serve _us_ , nothing more and nothing less!" Lord Barnum felt nauseated by Tetherby's words; "you are no true lord, you fat fool" he growled, "it is _you_ who is the charlatan here, not I!"

Infuriated by his defiance, Tetherby pressed his thumb against the head of his cane; which somehow activated Barnum's behavioral plate. The poor nobleman fell to his knees and clutched at his head, as his freewill started to slip away. Once under his control, Tetherby sent Barnum after Ace with great gladness.

"It will be such fun to see the great Lord Barnum commit the greatest sin a lord, knight or king could perform; slaying an innocent with his own hands" he chuckled, "O, the delicious irony of it all!" Ace glared at Tetherby icily and tossed one of his trademark cards at him. But it was suddenly blocked by a large shield, which was held by a now fully brainwashed Barnum.

Within moments, he and Ace found themselves engaged in a heated duel; which Tetherby took great amusement from. "Oh, this is just too delicious" he laughed, "I wonder who I should take control of next?" His eyes looked about the board until they rested down on young Bobby Santiago.

"Yes, this will be perfect" he snickered, "time to put this ignorant lout to work for once." Enraged by his insults towards her "precious Boo-Boo Bear," High Card prepared to lash out at the old man. But much to her surprise, she was suddenly tackled by none other than Bobby; who was now under the full effect of the plate's mind control.

High Card stared up in shock and sadness, as Bobby prepared to wrap his hands around her throat. "Vile wench" he snarled, "thou shalt suffer for insulting my noble lord!" Though she tried her best to push him away, High Card couldn't fully bring herself to attack Bobby.

"Please…Bobby, stop this" she cried, "I don't want to hurt you, please…snap out of this." Alas, High Card's cries fell onto deaf ears and she soon felt her lover's hands wrap slightly around her neck. On other ends of the Chessboard, the rest of the Full House Gang had troubles of their own.

A band of First Graders soon surrounded Royal Flush and Queen of Diamonds, Chaz caught Eleven of Hearts in a near bone-breaking bear hug, a band of young Goth kinds marched like robots towards Eight of Spades and all the rest soon found themselves cornered by those they loved. "What can we do" coughed Eleven of Hearts, "we can't hurt them…they're our friends and family!" Outside of the board, Card Counter found herself up against David; a fellow genius she (secretly) admired.

Much like her elder sister, she felt unable to bring herself into hurting him or any of their unintentional adversaries. But in her heart; she knew that in order to survive and save them, she _had_ to fight back. So, with her eyes clamped shut and with all the strength she could muster; she lightly punched David in the face.

Even though it wasn't that strong; the blow managed to send him stumbling backward onto the board, hitting his head. Upon realizing her actions, she rushed to David's side and checked to see if he was alright. For a moment or two, the lad had not moved even the slightest inch; which greatly worried Card Counter.

Suddenly, David's eyes shot open and he let out a fierce snarl of rage. Before she could react, Card Counter suddenly felt the boy's fist strike hard against her glasses; which caused the right lens to crack. While the carnage ensued, Tetherby chuckled maliciously at it all; relishing in the pain and anguish that the heroes were, no doubt suffering from.

"Yes, you worms" he sneered, "kill each other and show me the animals you truly are!" During the fighting, each member of the Full House Gang desperately tried to get through to their brainwashed loved ones. "Please, Dad…this isn't you" cried Queen of Hearts, "snap out of it…don't force me to defend myself because I will, if I have to!"

Again, her pleas went unheard and Albert pounced at her like a wild lion. At the last moment, Queen of Hearts dodged and she lightly swung her scepter up against his rear; sending him flying onto several other prisoners. While also trying not to hurt everyone, the Gang desperately tried to think of a way to stop all the fighting.

Then, Card Counter began to wonder just how Tetherby was control. Upon taking a close look at their adversary, she soon noticed how he was keeping a firm hold of his cane. She also noticed that the pommel was giving off a faint glow; a red one at that.

"Why does that seem so familiar" she whispered under her breath, before she was suddenly attacked by David again. After said attack, Card Counter spotted the same light glowing off of the chip on the boy's head. It was in that moment that all the pieces started to come together.

"EVERYONE, LISTEN TO ME" she shouted, "the behavioral devices are all being remotely controlled and Tetherby has the remote!" Everyone quickly overheard Card Counter's cries and asked where the remote was. "That, I'm afraid…is the difficult part" she confessed, "the remote is in the pommel of Tetherby's cane!"

Eleven of Hearts stared blankly, wondering what the heck a pommel was. To which High Card calmly explained it was the "golden thingy" beneath Tetherby's hand. "That's all well and good but we've got a problem" Strong Suit said bluntly, "how are we gonna get it from him?"

Without pause, Night Club volunteered to "tear it right out of the fat pig's wrinkly hands;" proclaiming she had "a score to settle with him." Before anyone could object, she was already making a beeline for Tetherby. But the prideful lord had anticipated this and pressed his thumb upon the pommel of his cane again. This caused Sam's plate to glow and her to rush to her "master's" side, blocking Night Club's path.

If it were anyone else, she would happily break their legs and head straight for Tetherby. But when she saw that it was _Sam_ standing in her way…Luna froze, she didn't even blink. The rest of her team took notice of this and begged for Night Club to finish the job.

Despite everyone's cries, the young rocker still remained frozen like a statue. _"I…I can't do it, I can't hurt Sam"_ she thought anxiously, _"I already hurt her once during the game, I don't want it to happen again."_ At the same time, Sam refused to move either and she didn't understand why.

Was it due to the plate's programming making her think like a knight, wanting to fight her fairly or…was it because a little bit of Sam's mind was still in there. Meanwhile, Tetherby angrily waved his cane at the ladies; demanding for Sam to strike her opponent down where she stood. "Nay…I shall not" she decreed, still under the plate's control; "if we must fight, I wish for it to be on equal terms."

She then asked Night Club to face her one final time on the board. "We shall fight until either of us submits…or dies by the other's hand" Sam explained, "what shall the terms of our duel be?" With a groan, Night Club had no choice but to play along; "fine…if you win, my fam and I will surrender but if _I_ win, I get your boss' cane" she said bluntly.

Despite the oddness of her opponent's demands, she accepted and the two shook hands. Afterwards, Barnum called out for someone to arm the two ladies. "No need, dude" Night Club murmured, "we still got all kinds of weapons around us." With that said, she proceeded to pluck a small shield and a sword off the ground; while Sam armed herself with a shield and spear.

With weapons in hand, both took defensive poses; preparing for whatever either combatant would deliver. For what felt like ages, the two just stood there; staring intently at one another. Despite their stoic features, however, both showed some telltale signs of nervousness; from the sweat on their brows to the mild trembling in their hands.

Then, suddenly; a small droplet of sweat began to trickle down a lock of Night Club's brown hair. When said drop had, finally hit the floor; Sam held up her spear and charged.

(AN: The big climax is almost here, everybody; do you think Night Club/Luna will find it in her to fight off her crush or will she have to find another way to subdue her? Tune in next time, to find out)

(Second AN: About the "royal hood" thing for the Black King and White King. I kinda got the idea from the original comic version of Baron Zemo. I have no idea what that purple thing is he wore over his face; you know…that purple mask-looking thing with the black and white fluffy thing at the hem of it? But it looked like something someone of noble status would wear.

I hope it will make sense, when you all read it)


	19. Chapter 17: Love on the Battlefield

Love on the Battlefield

Once more, Night Club found herself engaged in a heated battle. This time, however; she was up against someone she cherished…which made things much harder. After so much time searching, Night Club had finally found Sam; only to discover she had been turned into a puppet for some fat, old rich jerk. Because of this new development, she refused to raise a hand to her.

Her only remaining option was to try and evade every thrust Sam made with her spear. But within moments, Night Club's body quickly began to feel all the aches and strains from her earlier battles on the field. Likewise, Sam's own body pulsated with painful jolts from it as well…but she refused to relent.

Despite the pain in her body and shortness of breath, Night Club continued to dodge. But then, Sam gave her spear a good thrust and the tip painfully sliced over the right side of her torso. The pain jolted through Night Club like a thousand electrical shocks, as she clutched her hand over the bleeding scar.

Sam, meanwhile was relishing in her opponent's suffering. "Do you enjoy the pain, 'hero'" she chuckled mockingly, "I do hope so…because there is more yet to come!" As Sam proceeded to, once again lunge at her; Night Club did her best to block each spear strike with her guitar. But with her wound, her strength already barely hanging by a thread and her continuing refusal to fight back; this proved quite difficult.

In a desperate attempt to both save herself and Sam, Night Club did her best to get through to her. "Sam…Samurai, Sammy; please…you've gotta snap out of this, brah" she murmured breathlessly, "you don't wanna really fight me, I know it." Alas, the young rocker's words fell onto deaf ears and Sam refused to back down.

At the same time, the rest of the team was struggling with similar problems. Each member of the Full House Gang found themselves against a friend or loved one and thus, could not bring themselves to fight back; no matter how viciously they struck. "Come _on_ , Boo-Boo" whimpered High Card, "this isn't you, you would never want to hurt me."

The young Hispanic boy growled at her like a mad wolf and proceeded to smash his ax into her head. But at the last moment; just as the blade was inches away from contact, Madame Roulette stood before High Card and blocked the attack with her shield. After pushing back her brainwashed brother, Madame Roulette cast an incredulous look upon High Card.

"What is the matter with you, girl" she said in a chastising tone, "instead of fighting back, you're deliberately letting him back you into a corner!" On one hand; due to her pride as the eldest Loud sibling, High Card felt mildly offended towards Madame Roulette's tone towards her. But, at the same time; she _knew_ her friend was right.

"What do you expect me to do, then" she shouted, "brainwashed or not, I can't hurt Bobby…I would never forgive myself, if I did!" Madame Roulette couldn't help but share in High Card's sentimentality. Despite having their differences, she could never do anything to physically harm her elder brother.

Regardless; she knew that if they were to survive, they'd have to fight back those they loved. "I swear to you, pal that one way or another; we _will_ figure a way out of this" Madame Roulette assured, "but until then, you _have_ to fight!" Though a small part of her still hesitated on the idea; in her heart, High Card knew it was the only option.

With a reluctant sigh, she reached to her side and drew out her dice bolas; then took up a defensive stance. "I'm so sorry about this, Boo-Boo Bear" High Card whispered, while holding back tears, "but you forced my hand into this!" With that, she proceeded to swing her weapon violently at her brainwashed lover.

Madame Roulette was happy to see High Card get with the program, at first. But then, as she saw her brother swing his ax for her comrade's head; a chill washed over her. As the fighting ensued, she hoped that all this would end quickly and that everyone's minds would be normal again soon.

In the meantime, she tried to help free them herself by using her hypnosis shield. As she took her stance before several young mind-controlled teens, she held her shield up and gave it a spin. Soon; the attackers' eyes were bombarded with flashes of red, black and green.

Upon seeing the dazed look in her opponents' eyes, Madame Roulette began to think that things were turning around. But then; she was quickly manhandled by the burly teenager, Hawk. Once she was subdued, the lights from Madame Roulette swiftly died down and the teenagers' eyes quickly cleared up.

Enraged; one of the teens, a girl named Carol, glared at the young heroine and drew out her sword. "Vile coward" she growled, "thou shalt suffer a most egregious fate for thy trickery!" Just as Carol prepared to plunge her blade into Madame Roulette's chest, a playing card suddenly shot through the air and struck her wrist; causing Carol to drop it.

Everyone turned to the side to find Wild Card Willy and his posse, twirling cards between their fingers in defiance. "If y'all wanna tussle, baby sister; we'll be happy to oblige" challenged Willy, throwing an ace card into his holster. Enraged by the old man's insolence, Carol urged her comrades to draw their weapons and charge.

On the northwest side of the board, 8 Ball found himself surrounded by several jocks turned Rook soldiers. Despite their size advantage, he had an ace up his sleeve. "Time for me to make a bank shot" murmured 8 Ball, making a quick run forward.

Before the jocks could react, the young hero leapt into the air and curled himself into the shape of his namesake. Then, upon colliding into one of the jocks; 8 Ball found himself ricocheting off the rest of them.

The boy bounced violently against his opponents for several moments, until one of them fell into an unconscious heap. As the rest of the jocks fell down, 8 Ball skidded along the board slightly and got back onto his feet. Despite being mildly dizzy from the bouncing, he was still quite alright.

Alas, even with those lot defeated; there were still scores of other people still under Tetherby's control and they were not going down without a fight. With a fierce roar, Lord Barnum swung his blade at Ace and Jack but they quickly dodged; just as the blade barely glazed over the surface of their hair. "It is useless to continue, knaves" roared Barnum, "the Court _will_ prevail and your world shall burn!"

Lord Tetherby chuckled maliciously, as the battle raged on around him. In his heart, it mattered little which side emerged victorious in the end. Either way, he would be free of the "filth" that plagued Royal Woods forever.

Back on the Chessboard, Night Club's wound began to worsen the more she moved around. The blood had begun to trickle down her boots and the pain felt so great, she could barely focus on defending herself against Sam. Finally, upon sensing her opponent's weakening state; Sam delivered a spin kick against Night Club's wound with all the strength she had.

The blow sent Night Club failing onto her back, causing blood to slightly gush out of her wound. Sam watched with grim satisfaction, as Night Club clutched her arm over her wound. _"Now then, wench; it is time to end this"_ she thought while approaching Night Club like a shark.

When she was close enough, Sam was ready to deliver the finishing blow. But as she held her spear over her head and drove the point downward, Night Club suddenly sprang back to life and caught the weapon between her boots. After wrestling with Sam for a few moments, Night Club gave her ankles a quick twist to the right; which caused the spear to snap in half.

Once her weapon was destroyed and she got back on her feet, Night Club made another attempt to get through to her friend. "Stop this, Sam" she cried, "I don't want to hurt you anymore than I've already had." Despite the seriousness of her opponent's words, Sam remained undeterred.

"It is useless to try and distract me, 'hero'" she scowled, "this battle _will_ continue to the end!" With a near animalistic snarl, Sam plucked a small mace off the ground and began swinging it wildly at Night Club. Upon seeing the crazed look on her crush's face, Night Club clutched at her heart painfully; as if it had shattered to pieces.

Soon, tears began to flow down her cheeks; causing her makeup to slightly run. "Please, Sam" she begged, "stop doing this…you have to snap out of it!" This was met with a fierce backhanded slap to the face; which sent Night Club flying onto her back, once again.

"Come on, honey" cried Queen of Hearts, "you've gotta fight back or else she'll kill you!" Night Club cast a tearful glance at her mother; softly proclaiming that if she _did_ fight back, she'd be killing herself anyway (emotionally speaking.) Soon, Night Club's face began to drip black and white tears of sorrow.

As the battle continued, Tetherby was becoming rather impatient with every passing second. "Blast it all, Sharp" he roared irritably, "stop toying with her and finish the job already!" Sam ignored the "noble's" whining, plucked one of the halves of her spear off the ground and slowly approached Night Club.

"This is the end for you, knave" she hissed venomously, "have you any final words to say before you meet your end?" Heartbroken, tired, racked with shame and her body radiating with pain, Night Club turned her gaze up towards Sam. "Please…Sam, you have to fight him" she murmured, "this isn't you, this isn't the same rockin' gal I've had so many great times with."

Sam merely scoffed at her, proclaiming that her opponent was wasting her time in trying to appeal to her. "I'm as serious as a heart attack, Sammy" Night Club insisted, "the first day we met, all those jam sessions we shared, the times we've hung out together; those were some of the best times of my whole life." Much to everyone's surprise; the moment Night Club mentioned those memories, Sam began to hesitate.

Though she still wore a look of ferocity on her face, her body began to slowly loosen up and the look in her eyes seemed to soften slightly. The moment she saw this, Night Club's heart skipped a beat; telling her that she may have a chance to save her. "Sam, please…stop all this" she pleaded, "I've come too far to lose you and I don't plan on letting that happen!"

Upon hearing this, several of the other brainwashed prisoners began jeering at Night Club. "Why does this one girl's life mean so much more to you than your own" cried Mrs. Johnson, "it all seems pointless, in the end." With all the strength she had, Night Club pushed herself off the ground and took a knee; all while keeping her focus on Sam.

"Sam…you can beat me to death, cut me, insult me even kill me" she stated, "but no matter what, I won't do anything to stop you." At that moment, she let out a vicious cough and clutched at the cut on her side again. Yet, she remained fixed in her kneeling position.

Upon seeing this; Sam, after throwing her weapons onto the ground, ran straight for her. This display both greatly confused and displeased Lord Tetherby. "HEAR ME, GIRL" he shouted, "YOU _WILL_ DISPOSE OF HER OR I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD!"

Ignoring the rants of her "leader," Sam quickly took Night Club in her arms and stared at her; dumbfounded. "Why…Why do you refuse to fight me" she asked, utterly baffled; "we are enemies and must do whatever possible to bring each other down. With a tired yet pleasant grin on her face, Night Club gently took Sam's hand in her own.

"We may be enemies here, brah…but it wasn't always like that" she stated, "everything I said before was true, we were super tight once." While she spoke, Night Club couldn't help but notice that the lights on plate on her head were glowing strangely. Now, she was no science expert; that was always Card Counter's forte.

But the lights coupled with Sam's strange behavior gave Night Club a smidgen of hope, hope in that she may be getting through to her. "Fight it, girl; you're stronger than this, I know it" she urged strongly, "you gotta fight back…I love you too much to lose you again." Upon hearing these words, Sam's mind began to race with over ten-million thoughts at once. This caused the lights on her plate to blare violently.

Not long after that, Sam clutched her hands on the sides of her head and started to wail in agony. The moment she saw the lights and the girl's odd behavior, Card Counter let out a nervous gulp. "Oh, no…it is happening again" she murmured, "it's no wonder the prison denied the use of my invention."

Both The Full House Gang and the Court turned towards the child genius and questioned the meaning behind her words. "Well…upon creating my behavioral modification devices, I may…have failed to take into account the possibility of…extreme emotions" she chuckled nervously, while pulling at her scarf.

She then went on to explain that when a "subject" feels or expresses said emotions, they cause the devices to overload. "What happens if they overload" One-Eyed Jack questioned worriedly, to which Strong Suit approached him and proceeded to whisper softly in his ear. The moment the whispering ceased, all the color drained from Jack's face and he gazed at Card Counter with a look of pure horror.

"Now, you understand why these things were originally scrapped?" the Queen of Hearts asked bluntly, "that kind of technology is too much of a hazard in anyone's hands." Card Counter threw up her hands defensively, asking how she could've known that emotions would overpower her technology. "Science dudes like you could never understand, brah" chimed Night Club, "emotions are the strongest thing in a human noggin, especially love."

Upon hearing these words, Tetherby grumbled and growled viciously in disgust. "LOVE…BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU?!" he exclaimed, "that is the most heinous thing I have ever heard!" Wishing to be done with his enemies then and there, Tetherby pressed his thumb hard onto the button hidden atop the pommel of his cane.

This caused the lights on all the plates to blare an intense shade of red. Which then led to the prisoners, Sam included, to clutch at their heads in extreme pain. "I grow impatient" Tetherby seethed bitterly, "destroy the heroes or I shall turn the whole lot of you into vegetables!"

Eleven of Hearts let out a soft grimace, proclaiming that she was not quite fond of vegetables. "No, Sis" sighed Eight of Spades, "he means he'll make them all brain dead!" Upon hearing this, Eleven of Hearts gasped in horror and urged everyone to try and stop him. "How do you expect us to do that" questioned Strong Suit, to which Card Counter reminded everyone about the remote.

"Once that is destroyed, all the prisoners' minds will be free" she stated, "we just need to get close enough to Tetherby and do that before it's too late." With that said, Night Club wasted no time waiting for another plan. She plucked her guitar off the ground and made a beeline straight for Tetherby, a fierce rage burning bright in her eyes.

But just as Night Club was merely two feet away from him, Sam stood before her and blocked her way. This caused Night Club to almost stumble to a halt. After that, the two locked eyes with each other; as if mentally daring one another to make the first move.

Seeing this caused Tetherby to bounce up and down with excitement. "Good, young lady" he chuckled, "now…be a good little knight and destroy the hero; would you, please?" Still, both girls remained locked in each other's stares; waiting for someone to make a move.

Upon taking a closer look at Sam, Night Club could see that the girl was panting hoarsely and that her eyes appeared bloodshot. This meant that the plate on her head was almost finished in ruining her brain. If this was to be her final moment with her crush, Night Club wanted to make it count.

"You can do whatever you want to me, brah" she sighed dejectedly, "it's like I said, I love you too much to hurt or lose you." After that; she walked up to Sam, placed her hands upon her shoulders and delivered a strong kiss upon the unsuspecting rocker's lips. To say that the Full House Gang, their allies and the Chess Court were shocked would be the biggest understatement of the millennium; for no one expected something like _this_ to happen.

At first, Sam's body tried to break free of Night Club's hold on her. But the longer the kiss went on, the more she began to enjoy it. Soon, she found herself wrapping her arms around Night Club and intensifying the kiss.

Alas, this touching moment was rudely interrupted; as Tetherby proceeded to rapidly smash his thumb against the remote button on his cane. Upon doing so, Sam's plate activated again and it began to strengthen its influence on her mind even harder. "This is your last chance, child" Tetherby said threateningly, "destroy the girl or I will destroy _you!_ "

Despite the man's threat and the power of the plate, Sam refused to move against Night Club. This caused Tetherby to seethe with rage; "I gave you an order, wench" he shouted, "I am your master and you _will_ do as I say!" As Tetherby began to smash the button at an alarming rate; through the pain, Sam reached down towards the broken spearhead and took it in her hand.

Then, with all the strength she could muster; Sam turned towards Tetherby and snarled at him through clenched teeth. "You…can't…control me…anymore" she shouted, before picking up a spearhead and throwing it like a baseball. Unable to defend himself; Tetherby could only watch in horror, as the spearhead crashed through the pommel of his cane.

After that, everyone could hear faint sounds of electrical crackling emanating from the stick; before it slowly died down. Once it did, all the brainwashed prisoners suddenly fell to the floor in exhausted heaps; including Sam. "OM GOSH, GUYS" cried Eleven of Hearts, "is everybody gonna be alright?"

In response to this question, Card Counter brought out a small brain scanning device and proceeded to examine everyone's mental activity. Then, she checked each of their pulses and their breathing patterns. The Gang slowly felt themselves becoming quite antsy, while watching their friend work.

After a few moments of waiting, Ace raised his hand and asked if anything was wrong. "Don't worry, everyone; their minds are all in one piece" Card Counter assured, "they may have headaches for a few days…or weeks but they'll be fine." As if on cue, Sam's eyes slowly began to open and she let out a deep yawn.

"Jeezum Crow, what happened" she grumbled while rubbing her head, "I feel like I went on a sugar high after playing several New Year's Eve gigs." After letting out another yawn, Sam turned her head and saw that she was in Night Club's arms. As a heated blush formed over her face, Sam quickly scurried out of the hero's embrace.

"Um…thanks for saving our skins, Night Club…really" she murmured, "but best keep your hands to yourself…I've already got one incredible gal in my life." Night Club couldn't help but blush at the comment, knowing that Sam was referring to her. Then, much to her surprise, the girl proceeded to deliver a quick kiss to Night Club's lips.

Upon breaking apart, three seconds later; she prepared to question Sam on her actions. But the girl in question quickly raised her hand, stopping her. "Drop the act" Sam said in a playfully blunt tone, "you think I was born yesterday…Luna?" Once this statement was made; everyone, even Tetherby looked at her in confused shock.

Desperate to cover her tracks; Night Club was handed a compact by Queen of Diamonds and in an instant, reapplied all of her face paint. Then, she took up her guitar and proceeded to puff out her chest like a stereotypical superhero. "So sorry…uh, citizen" she said in a deep voice, "but I do not know of this 'Luna' that you speak of."

Despite her efforts, Night Club's lie didn't seem to have any affect. This caused the young rocker to stammer and sweat nervously, until she felt Sam press her finger tenderly against her lips. "It's okay, babes; your secret is safe with me" she assured, sealing the promise with another kiss.

Said kiss caused Night Club's mind to go utterly haywire, before she fell limp into Sam's arms. As everyone shared a good laugh at the display, Tetherby made an attempt to quietly sneak away from the field. But just as he reached the door of the castle mansion, a spear suddenly slammed against the door; startling Tetherby.

With a nervous gulp, the nobleman turned around to find three-dozen angry eyes glaring intensely at him. Thinking quickly, the lord tried to use his charm to try and escape. "Listen…to show there is no hard feelings, how about I…help repay all the damages" he asked nervously, "every little bit helps, after all."

The heroes disregarded his offer and the Full House Gang slowly approached him. "Oh; you're gonna start payin', brah" growled Night Club, while cracking her knuckles; "but it ain't gonna be with money, that's for sure."

The stumpy billionaire gulped nervously, worried about what sort of fate they would all have in store for him.

(AN: Thus ends the battle between the Cards and the Court. Not only is Tetherby gonna get some well-deserved comeuppance. But after so much stress; Luna/Night Club, finally got her girl. But this isn't the end of the story, kiddies.

Tune in next time for the exciting conclusion of Checkmate. Until then, hope you'll enjoy the chapter)


	20. As One Chapter Ends, A New One Begins

As One Chapter Ends, A New One Begins

After Tetherby and his Court were defeated, Card Counter made a call out to the police and the hospital. Not long after said call, the Full House Gang could see a squad of police cars and several ambulances heading towards them. But then, they also saw a news van following close behind.

Card Counter let out a loud groan of annoyance, knowing perfectly well who was in the van. She then advised her family and comrades to be ready for the annoyances to come. In time, all the vehicles came to a stop in the main yard and the Full House Gang found themselves surrounded by reporters and police officers from all sides.

The last ones to arrive were Katherine Mulligan and Officer Schoffner. Schoffner let out a disgruntled groan, feeling tired from the weeks of random city attacks and disappearances, Miss Mulligan, meanwhile was absolutely giddy; anxious to get interviews for what she could imagine was "the juiciest story ever."

As they drew closer; the two ladies grumbled softly, when they spotted Ace and his fellow heroes ahead. As Schoffner prepared to grill Ace and his compatriots with questions, she soon noticed all the people surrounding them. She then picked up a radio and informed the dispatch unit about the group before her.

 _"Sounds like you just found all the kidnapped townsfolk, Schoffner"_ murmured a voice on the other end, _"or did Ace and his pals beat ya to the punch."_ Upon learning who the people were, Officer Schoffner stared aghast at the group before her and was especially shocked to see Lords Tetherby and Barnum among them. "What in the…What in God's name is going on here" Schoffner shrieked, "why is Lord Tetherby in cuffs and where did all these other people come from?!"

Just as someone prepared to answer the officer's query, a woman came running out of one of the ambulances. It was a young Hispanic nurse; one whom the Full House Gang recognized as Maria Santiago, Bobby's mother. Upon seeing her son's disheveled appearance, she immediately rushed to his side.

"Bobby…oh, my sweet boy, you're alive" she cried with great joy, "when you didn't come back to the Bodega after so long, we all got worried." Bobby chuckled softly at his mother's overprotectiveness and hugged her lightly. "It's a long story, Mom" he murmured softly, "but one thing's for sure, Ace and the Gang almost died trying to save us all."

Several of the other former prisoners all chattered in agreement, adding that they all owed them their lives. Mulligan grumbled softly under her breath with displeasure, while Schoffner cast a skeptical glance at the heroes; as if saying she wasn't convinced. Then, Nurse Santiago suddenly let out an alarmed shriek.

This caused the news cameraman to rush over to see what went wrong. When he reached Nurse Santiago's side, he directed his camera down towards her son. What he saw next filled him with such disgust, he almost lost his grip on the camera.

Covering almost the entire right hemisphere of the boy's head was metal plate, one about the size of a postcard. Nurse Santiago almost lost her cookies at the sight of it, to coin a phrase. As the poor woman hugged her son closely, she demanded to know what the plate was on his head and who put it there.

"It was the old dude, Tetherball" Bobby murmured, rubbing his head sorely. The aforementioned man grumbled angrily at the mispronunciation of his name and prepared to lash out. But just before he could take even two steps, Night Club and Sam smashed a pair of shields atop his head; rendering him unconscious.

"I dunno about the rest of you guys…but that old fart was _reeeeeally_ annoying me" grumbled Sam, dusting off her hands. Night Club chuckled softly at the young blonde, inwardly swooning at her moxie. Sam quickly saw the hero's puppy-dog eyes look and smiled at her.

"You like what you see, hero" she giggled with a wink, "I have more under the hood…if you'd like a peek." This comment caused Night Club to blush so deeply, her face almost turned a light pink beneath the remaining layers of her face paint. Just as the two girls prepared to speak to each other, Nurse Santiago interrupted; saying she wished to help remove the plates from everyone.

Though she was anxious to remove the accursed thing from her head, Sam wished her moment wasn't disturbed so suddenly. Without a moments pause, all the freed captors were brought to the local hospital. There, the medical staff proceeded to remove the plates from anyone who wore them.

Afterwards; they, along with the heroes, had their wounds checked at and tended to. It took many days of work and care, which made many people incredibly antsy (Night Club among them.) Then; one day, Nurse Santiago approached the heroes and the families of the rescued civilians with a bright smile on her face.

"You'll all be pleased to know that the extraction was a complete success" she informed warmly, while drying off her hands. Everyone wanted nothing more than to cheer with glee at this news. But since they were in a hospital, they had to keep quiet. But despite this, Night Club's mind was back-flipping with joy at the news.

"Say…uh, Doc" she murmured softly, "is Miss Sharp allowed to have visitors come in yet." Nurse Santiago smiled down at the young guitarist and led her out of the Waiting Room. Before heading out, Night Club quickly glanced at her family; giving them a look that said "don't wait up."

Within moments, they reached Sam's room and Night Club suddenly heard voices inside. "Looks like she already has some visitors" she murmured, "it's alright, I don't mind waitin' my turn." Nurse Santiago shook her head and urged the heroine to go inside, saying there were people waiting to meet her.

Confused, Night Club accepted the nurse's wish and pushed open the door. There, she saw Sam; tired and mildly weak but otherwise, content on the bed. At her bed side were Sam's parents, Paula and Steven and her brother Simon; all relieved to see the girl right as rain.

Night Club then noticed that the right side of her crush's head was shaved clean and a square-shaped bandage was placed over a small spot. As she cautiously approached Sam, Night Club passed by a small table. There, she saw the accursed plate that was fixed atop of Sam's head not so long ago.

Thankfully, the circuitry was torn apart; which meant it could never be used again. Meanwhile, Sam's eyes quickly caught sight of her hero and she smiled. "Well…look who decided to visit me" she chuckled tiredly, "I'd hug you, hon but my…well, _everything_ feels a little too sore for me to move."

Night Club chuckled at her warmly and approached her more casually. Then, without warning; Simon suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around Night Club. Within seconds, Mr. and Mrs. Sharp joined in the hug; while also shedding a few joyful tears. "Thank you, thank you so much" Paula cried, "if it hadn't been for you and your team, who knows what would've happened to our baby girl." Night Club blushed slightly from the attention and assured the family it was the least she could do. "When I grow up, I hope to be as awesome as you are" exclaimed Simon, beaming with joy.

The boy's praise caused Night Club to blush even harder, which Sam couldn't help but chuckle at. When the laughter died down, she suddenly became rather serious. "Guys, could you do me a favor and give us some privacy for a bit" Sam requested, "I need to talk to Night Club about some things."

At first, the Sharps hesitated; not wishing to part from their sister/daughter so suddenly. But then, they all smiled at her and agreed to her wishes. "We'll head down to the cafeteria and get some pudding for you; okay dear" suggested Steven, which caused Sam to beam slightly with joy.

"If you find any, bring me back some chocolate pudding" she giggled eagerly, which Night Club couldn't help but join in. Once Sam's family left the room, it was just her and her savior…all alone. For some time, neither of them spoke; all they did was stare silently into each others eyes.

Then, Sam let out a wince and proceeded to rub her shoulder softly. Sensing her pain, Night Club quickly took over for her; gently massaging the area with her right palm. "Don't you worry, brah; I've got ya" she stated, never taking her eyes off Sam.

The rubbing greatly relaxed the girl and she began to feel more at ease. "Thanks for that…and for saving me…and well, everything else" she said with a smile, "I always knew you were a rockin' chick, Luna…but being a superhero puts you on a whole 'nother level." Sam's compliments caused Night Club/Luna to both sweat profusely and her heart to beat like a wild drum solo.

"Did you…uh, say anything to your folks" she murmured, "y'know…about my other life and…about us." Nothing else was said after that for almost five minutes and then, Sam smiled and placed her hand atop of Night Club's. "All I said was that the most rockin' gal I knew risked her neck to save me" she stated, "we'll work out the rest later, after I've healed up enough."

Night Club couldn't help but feel moderately relieved by her words. It was risky enough to have _one_ outsider know her family's superhero secret, she wasn't ready for anyone else to know…yet. "Now, then; the doc says I may be bedridden for two months" Sam grumbled, "which means I won't be able to keep up with certain things."

Night Club nodded in understanding but questioned where she was involved in everything. Upon asking this; Sam gave the heroine a sly grin and, with every ounce of strength in her right arm, pulled her hero forward by the collar. Before Night Club could react, her lips suddenly crashed hard against Sam's own and the two were soon locked in a most passionate kiss.

Said kiss lasted for almost twenty seconds, until they had no choice but to break apart. After getting her breath back; Sam, once again, reiterated that she might be bedridden for two months. "As such, I'm gonna need someone to care for me" she stated, "ya know; call in for me at work, feed me, keep me company…help me bathe, maybe."

Night Club almost felt her heart stop, upon hearing the last idea. When she saw the look on her hero/lover's face, Sam burst out laughing. "I kid, brah" she gasped loudly, "seriously, though…I'll be bored out of my mind while in bed; ya wanna keep me company?"

Night Club smiled broadly at the young rocker and gave her a "rock on" hand sign, as a gesture of agreement. "Cool…so, how should we seal this little arrangement" Sam pondered, tapping her chin playfully in thought. Then, in an instant; an idea came to her and it seemed Night Club was on the same page.

Within moments, the two shared another kiss; one that lasted for almost a solid minute. After breaking apart, the two gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. After moments of silence; they both then spoke one single, unanimous thought, "I love you so much."

In the weeks following the encounter with the Chess Court, great changes happened all over. Firstly, Lord Tetherby was convicted in court and all his fortunes were thus seized by Huntington Oaks City Hall. Afterwards; the money was then used to rebuild all of the damaged properties, refurbish them with replacement machines, furniture etc. and the owners were given what remained to add any new additions to their businesses.

During the rebuilding process, Lord Barnum and all those who were once under Tetherby's control volunteered to help. When asked why he wished to do so, when all the damage wasn't entirely his fault; Barnum simply replied "Tetherby may find it beneath him to aid others…but people of _my_ family do not. Many townspeople commended him on his humble nature, proclaiming that he truly was like a knight or a king.

In exchange for his help; Card Counter, with assistance provided by Royal Woods City Hall, offered to rebuild Lord Barnum's ancestral home in the U.K. When the reconstruction was completed, the castle was then given back to Lord Barnum and his family. The aforementioned lord thanked all involved for their kindness and pledged his eternal loyalty to them.

Back in the states; after the reconstruction was finished in Royal Woods and Great Lakes City, all the captured prisoners soon returned to their proper homes and businesses. "I'm so happy you're safe, Boo-Boo Bear" Lori gushed happily, hugging her boyfriend tightly at his family's bodega. She then began to make plans on getting him out of his armor and back into more "stylish" clothes…but Bobby refused.

"Actually; I really dig this look, babe" he stated, "plus, I got this really _awesome_ sword." With a chuckle, he began to softly swing his weapon in the air; taking out any imaginary opponents surrounding him. At first, Lori felt like objecting…but she quickly realized that no other girl would have a literal knight in shining armor like she did.

The other Louds found themselves reunited with those they loved as well; be they friends, family, neighbors, teachers or for some of them, lovers. Within a few weeks time, everyone swiftly recovered from the effects of the behavioral modification plates and life slowly returned to normal. Well…that was not entirely true; for one young lady, things weren't quite the same again.

Within the downtown area of Royal Woods, inside of a local night club; the patrons danced and hooted loudly at the musical stylings of their favorite duet. Upon reaching full recovery, Sam eagerly went back to work…on the condition that Luna would become her permanent stage partner. With gusto, Mr. MacArthur accepted the terms and urged them both to go on stage

There, Luna and Sam openly announced their relationship to the patrons and they all responded with great echoes of "aww-ing" and cooing. With that settled, Sam wanted to celebrate her return by singing a cover of one of her favorite songs; "I Only Wanna Be with You" by Hootie and the Blowfish. "Dudeage, I'm sensin' some serious déjà vu vibes here" Luna chuckled, "weren't you singing a Hootie song, on the day we met?"

Sam chuckled at her "baby girl" and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, "I know…that's why it perfectly fits tonight's celebration" she said while tuning her guitar. Luna smiled warmly and began prepping her own instrument. Once in tune, the girls gave the band a count down of "one…two…three" and the music began to play.

Within moments, both ladies began sharing verses of the song; only adding duet vocals to certain parts.

(Luna)

 _You and me, we come from different worlds  
You like to laugh at me when I look at other girls_

(Sam) _  
Sometimes you're crazy and you wonder why  
I'm such a baby 'cause the dolphins make me cry  
Well there's nothing I can do_

(Both)

 _I've been looking for a girl like you_

(Luna)  
 _  
You look at me, you've got nothing left to say  
I'll only pout at you until I get my way_

(Sam)

 _I won't dance, you won't sing  
I just want to love you but you wanna wear my ring  
Well there's nothing I can do  
_

(Both)

 _I only wanna be with you_

(Luna)

 _You can call me your fool_

(Both)

 _I only wanna be with you_

(Sam)

 _Put on a little Dylan sitting on a fence  
I say that line is great, you ask me what I meant by  
_  
(Luna)

 _Said, I shot a man named Gray, took his wife to Italy  
She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me  
I can't help it if I'm lucky_

(Both)

 _I only wanna be with you_

(Sam)

 _Ain't Bobby so cool_

(Both)

 _I only wanna be with you_

(Luna)

 _Yeah I'm tangled up and blue_

(Both)

 _I only wanna be with you_

(Sam)

 _You can call me your fool  
Only wanna be with you_

(she plays a soft guitar solo; then, both ladies start to sing simultaneously) _  
_

 _Sometimes I wonder if it'll ever end  
You get so mad at me when I go out with my friends  
Sometimes you're crazy and you wonder why  
I'm such a baby yeah, the dolphins make me cry  
Well there's nothing I can do_

(Luna)

 _I only wanna be with you  
You can call me your fool_

(Sam)

 _I only wanna be with you  
Yeah, I'm tangled up in blue  
I only wanna be with you_

(Both)

 _I only wanna be with you  
I only wanna be with you  
I only wanna be with you_

After the last note is strung, the couple share a heated kiss on stage; causing the audience to go mad with joy. When the two broke apart, Mr. MacArthur approached the stage while clapping his hands wildly. "Weren't they great, everybody" he praised warmly, "let 'em hear ya one more time!"

With those words, the crowd erupted in one final cheer and the two rockers bowed in thanks to them all. With their work done, for now; they headed up to the bar for a well-deserved beverage. "Say, Lunes; you wanna…share a straw or something" Sam giggled, earning a light shoulder punch from her girl.

"Let's not go so fast, Sammy" Luna stated firmly, "we should wait until we're Juniors, before going onto that stage of our relationship. Sam chuckled at the joke and added two straws to their drink, still wishing to share. But just as they took their third sip, Luna got a call on her phone from home.

Both ladies let out loud groans of annoyance, knowing full well what the call could've meant. "Sorry I gotta split, babe" Luna mumbled dejectedly, "maybe we can continue where we left off…next time?" Sam raised a knowing eyebrow at her girlfriend, while also giving her a sly grin.

"Would 'next time' happen to include a movie and dancing, maybe?" she asked coyly, "because if it does…I'm all for it." Luna was dumbstruck by her statement, unsure of how to reply. "Um…dude, did you just ask me out on a date" she asked confusedly, to which Sam only winked at her and softly scooted her out the door.

"Just go do your thing, hero; I'll cover for ya" she stated, before quickly sneaking a kiss on Luna's cheek and closing the door. Luna simply shook her head and rolled her eyes playfully at her antics. Moments later, the Full House Gang was in hot pursuit of the Flash Card; who was making off with a bagful of the bank's money.

"What's wrong, Savvy; feeling winded already" Flash Card said over his shoulder mockingly, while boarding his getaway vehicle. "Guess those medieval morons took too much out of you fools, eh?" While still in hot pursuit, Ace and the Gang didn't appear too worried about their foe's wide lead; which seemed to confuse him.

"What's the matter, Savvy; cat got your tongue or something?" he asked confusedly, to which High Card replied in saying "I wouldn't be poking fun at the court, if we were you." Before Flash Card could respond, a spear suddenly crashed into his car's right front tire and destroyed it. The vehicle skidded and screeched in zigzags along the road, until it came to a rough stop at a crosswalk sign.

Upon recovering from the crash, Flash Card stumbled out of his car and demanded to know who attacked him. Within seconds, he was met with a surprising sight; the Full House Gang _and_ the Chess Court standing side by side before him. "What do you wish of us, Master Ace" questioned the White King, brandishing his sword.

"This knave has unjustly robbed a local bank and needs to be taught a lesson" the hero replied, "shall we help enlighten him?" A White Knight (who, in reality, was a fully in control Bobby) lifted his visor slightly and gave Ace a wink. Then, the rest of the Court faced the Kings and Queens; awaiting their orders.

"Through the cruel whims of another, we have wronged this humble shire" the White King said boldly, "let us make amends unto the people by fighting _for_ them…what say you, my good people?" With weapons/tools in hand, the Court let out loud cries of agreement; which caused Flash Card's face to go white with fear.

"Hold it, Savvy…I thought you were enemies, not friends" he murmured fearfully, almost falling over himself. The second White Knight, Sam Sharp, drew out her sword and smiled down at the criminal. "Times have changed, foul knave" she stated, "and we are happy to have changed with them."

With that said; the Court took their positions beside the Full House Gang and prepared to attack. Before that, Sam raised her visor slightly and turned towards Luna/Night Club. "You didn't answer my question earlier" she whispered, "you up for a movie date and dancing this weekend?"

Night Club chuckled at her bae in snow white armor and decided to present a playful wager. "Whoever doesn't beat this guy first buys the tickets, deal" she offered, extending her hand forward. Without pause, the Knight shook her hand and turned back towards Flash Card. As the leaders of both groups gave the signal to charge, they all ran forward and then…they suddenly froze still.

Within moments, the words "the end" in a comicy word bubble appeared and a pair of hands suddenly closed shut the final issue of what looked like a vast series of comics. The scene then shows one, Lincoln Loud standing before an old man; sweating nervously. "So…what do you think, " Lincoln asked, "I mean, I know it's nothing like what you've usually done. But I wanted to try out a new element for Ace's universe."

The old man; one Bill Buck, creator of Ace Savvy, looked over the book one final time. Then, he gave the boy a stoic glance, which made Lincoln sweat even more. "My boy; I've written many adventures for Ace and seen many concepts, over the years" he began, "and this is without a doubt…THE MOST INGENIOUS ONE I'VE SEEN YET!"

Upon hearing the final statement, Lincoln's fears quickly vanished and he faced his idol with a friendly grin. Once again, Mr. Buck looked over the final issue and let out a joyful chuckle. "Seriously, everything about this is so well-done" he said with praise, "the action, the drama, the mystery elements…but really sold me was the romance Night Club was having the whole way through."

Lincoln chuckled softly, saying that that particular element was _his_ favorite too. "Tell me, my boy; where _did_ you get the idea for the Chess Court" Mr. Buck asked eagerly, "something about them seems…familiar, somehow." In response, Lincoln confessed he got the idea from his last visit to the local renaissance fair.

"One of the things we saw there was a Human Chess Match" he stated, "it was cool…but Clyde and I wondered how it would be if the players actually dressed like the pieces they're playing as." Mr. Buck nodded with great interest, proclaiming that he never would've considered such a concept for Ace's universe before. "One other thing…I know the Full House Gang was inspired by your sisters" he stated, "did the same thing apply for the romance in the story as well?"

Lincoln blushed shyly and nodded his head, then showed him images on his phone of Luna with Sam IRL Mr. Buck looked through the images and felt a strong sense of love from each of them. "So many of my sisters either have relationships or crushes" Lincoln stated, "but I've always felt that Luna's feelings for Sam were incredibly special."

After swiping away a tear from his eye, Bill Buck handed Lincoln back his phone and stacked up the issues of his Checkmate series onto a neat pile. "Come next week; I have a feeling these will be flying off the shelves, my boy" he said proudly, while patting Lincoln's shoulder. With their business done; the young lad bade Mr. Buck farewell, took out his phone and asked for his eldest sister, Lori to come pick him up.

Once the message was sent, Lincoln faces the screen to speak to the viewer. "After weeks of work, my Checkmate series has come to an end" he said with a pleased sigh, "I only hope that the public will like it…and the side story with Luna and Sam's relationship." Then, all of a sudden; he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

He pulls it out and sees that it's an e-mail from Luna. Curious, he presses on the envelope icon and opens it. What he sees next takes him completely off guard. For on the small screen is a picture of Luna and Sam, dressed as their comic counterparts.

Below the picture was a caption that read "Sam saw this in your comic, Bro; said she wanted to see how she'd look in it IRL." The next picture shows Sam holding Luna in her arms, bridal style and kissing her; like a knight out of a fairy tale. Lincoln chuckles softly and sends back a reply that said "love the look, girls and I have a feeling the world will love it too."

THE END

(AN: There we have it, folks; the game is over, the Full House Gang has prevailed and Luna/Night Club got the girl, in the end. This was my second attempt at a Loud House fic but my _first_ one based around Lincoln's favorite hero, Ace Savvy.

Ever since the episode, Pulp Friction; I fell in love with Ace and his crew. Thus, I was inspired to make up a story with _them_ in it. But rather than have them go up against a typical card themed foe, I wanted to try something different; a Chess themed one.

As said through Lincoln's role, I got inspired to make the Chess Court after watching the Human Chess Match at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire for so many years. But I felt something was missing from them; specifically, armor modeled after the pieces they represented. After that; as they say, the rest is history.

On one final note, I've grown to love the LunaXSam ship for some time; ever since the "L is for Love" episode. But felt disappointed by the lack of romance fics based around the ship. So, I decided to add it into my story.

I really hope you all loved it as much as I did. Thank you for your patience, your support and your reviews. I hope you'll enjoy this epilogue and will share this story with any other Loud House fans out there.)

(Second AN: As said within an earlier chapter, I hold no ownership to the Hootie and the Blowfish song featured here. I just felt it was perfect for the scene, after hearing it for so long)


End file.
